Your opinion concerning this flask

Hi guys

What do you think about this powder flask? It was bought in 1980 in an antique store in England.



The flask body is very similar to the flask no. 514 in The Powder Flask Book of Ray Riling.
8


The spout is probably not original. The head of the flask looks rather new to me, maybe a repacement with italian replica parts. The spring also seems to be new.



There is an inscription on the neck


TENN
PISTOL
2ND
TGCA
1974

(TGCA = Texas Gun Collectors Association ????)




Thanks for your comments

It is a repro with Italian parts not original
Feltwad

I like the body of the flask and with a replacement spout it would be acceptable.

I am to lazy to go get my book, who does Ray Riling say the maker of the one in the book is?

Feltwad said:

It is a repro with Italian parts not original
Feltwad

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Thanks

I think, the flask body is not an Italian repro. Never saw this repro made in Italy. Might it be a repro made in India?

I think, you are also right, that the flask head is made of italian parts.
Spring, screw and cutter seem to be new. The little screws for fixing the head to the flask neck are not brass. They are made of steel.

French Colonial said:

I like the body of the flask and with a replacement spout it would be acceptable.

I am to lazy to go get my book, who does Ray Riling say the maker of the one in the book is?

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In the book I found no hint who the maker of the original flask might have been.

There are a lot of repros around with a lot from the 1970-80 made in India , obtained from English Dixon and other moulds and now look original
Feltwad

Original Dixon, Hawksley, and Frith flasks

Feltwad said:

There are a lot of repros around with a lot from the 1970-80 made in India , obtained from English Dixon and other moulds and now look original
Feltwad

Original Dixon, Hawksley, and Frith flasksView attachment 298103

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Wow!

What are the criteria for you to distinguish between an original antique flask and a repro and an antique flask that has been repaired using new repro parts?

Flask body too good? Laquered patina? ..........

The body of the flask in the O.P. has modern stampings just below the head.
Finding who made originals is usually not that difficult if the head is stamped. (Hawksley, Sykes bertram etc )
But, a great many were made with no makers name, just common flasks, and many used the same molds.
We see the same say 'basket weave', or "Hanging Game" with different makers, so no-one usually had a corner on a specific style.
Then of course, India and Italy got the molds, and round two bagan.
The repros can be very good flasks, but some of the "fireproof" tops might not be!

Pukka Bundook said:

The body of the flask in the O.P. has modern stampings just below the head.

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the modern stamping is

TENN
PISTOL
2ND
TGCA
1974


It might have been a competition prize?






Thanks for your comments

Still a nice flask

Good patina for a reproduction.

Pukka Bundook said:

Finding who made originals is usually not that difficult if the head is stamped. (Hawksley, Sykes bertram etc )
But, a great many were made with no makers name, just common flasks, and many used the same molds.
We see the same say 'basket weave', or "Hanging Game" with different makers, so no-one usually had a corner on a specific style.

Click to expand...

You are right.
I got one or two flasks made by Boche a Paris with a decoration more or less identical to English flasks. Reproductions of commercially successful flasks? Or did they buy flask bodies to finish them?

I would hazard a guess, that commercial molds would be available, but possibly also the unfinished or bodies sans tops were also available.
A good number of French tops had more elaborate and likely more effective fireproof mechanisms.

That is a very nice flask, nicely marked, F-C!

A display of Continental horn flasks also leather shot flasks
Feltwad

Feltwad said:

A display of Continental horn flasks also leather shot flasks
Feltwad

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Great collection!

All in wonderful condition

It’s a very nice flask. A reproduction yes, but still very nice. I buy decent ones whenever I come across one. I just like them.

Feltwad said:

A display of Continental horn flasks also leather shot flasks
Feltwad

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Are these original? I have a question about the bottom middle one. I have one almost identical to it, but no scrimshaw work on it. Do you have any information on that one?

FireTurtle75 said:

Are these original? I have a question about the bottom middle one. I have one almost identical to it, but no scrimshaw work on it. Do you have any information on that one?

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I have no doubt that these horn flasks are origial from the 19th century.
The middle one at the bottom seems to be a typical continental flat horn with a Boche a Paris patent charger.

Please show us some pics of your horn.

FireTurtle75 said:

Are these original? I have a question about the bottom middle one. I have one almost identical to it, but no scrimshaw work on it. Do you have any information on that one?

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To the best of my knowledge I believe the flask that you quoted is original
Feltwad