Powder Flask
Meticulously inlaid with fine silver wire, this luxurious tortoiseshell powder flask bears the British Royal Arms (as used before 1801) on the front and the king’s cypher, G R (Georgius Rex), on the reverse. It may have belonged to George III (1738–1820), or a wealthy supporter as a symbol of allegiance. Tortoiseshell became a fashionable material for snuffboxes and personal accessories around the end of the seventeenth century, but comparatively few tortoiseshell powder flasks survive. This flask, distinguished by its unusual shape and refined decoration, may be counted among the most exquisite of English making. The adjustable spout, a replacement from the 1830s, indicates the flask’s long working life.
Artwork Details
- Title: Powder Flask
- Silversmith: Spout made by James Dixon & Sons (British, founded Sheffield, 1806)
- Date: flask, before 1801; spout, after 1835
- Geography: probably London
- Culture: British, probably London; spout, Sheffield
- Medium: Tortoiseshell, wood, silver, steel
- Dimensions: H. 7 in. (17.8 cm); W. 3 5/8 in. (9.2 cm); D. 1 1/4 in. (3.2 cm); Wt. 6.3 oz. (178.6 g)
- Classification: Firearms Accessories-Powder Horns
- Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Edward S. Harkness, 1931
- Object Number: 31.122
- Curatorial Department: Arms and Armor
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James Dixon & Sons
ca. 1840–60
James Dixon & Sons
ca. 1842–51
James Dixon & Sons
19th century
James Dixon & Sons
19th century
James Dixon & Sons
ca. 1870–79
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