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[SOLD] Antique 17th century Russian Gun Powder Flask
[E323]
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SOLD--An authentic antique Museum quality 17th century Russian Gun Powder Flask - canteen for storing a large quantity of gun powder, probably for a cannon, most likely the flask belonged to the 17th century elite Tsar's bodyguards Streltsi. Details: A flattened round body with a nozzle carved from a single piece of wood, mounted in silver plated brass straps formed in a cross bordered by a rope wire and decorated with 24 double headed Russian eagles of three different forms and fitted on both sides in the center with a large convex round cast brass medallion depicting St. George killing a dragon, which is a heraldic symbol of Moscow. On the side there are two loops for suspension to which were attached larger rungs for a belt. Very similar flasks are published in many references regarding Zaporozhian Cossacks with the description, Zaporozhian Cossack Gun Powder Flasks.
(1) A Ukrainian book "Zaporozhye" by Javornicky (a Gun Powder flask from the collection of the painter Repin) (2) A Polish book "Kozaczyzna" by Romuald Romański (illustrations of the various Cossack powder flasks). Condition: The flask is in its original untouched condition of how it was found, free of repairs or restorations.
Height: approximately 35 cm (13 3/4 in).
Some writers, especially N. Likhachevmaintain, believe that the Byzantine eagle was adopted by the Muscovite Grand Duke Ivan (John) III as an antithetical analogy to the heraldic eagle of the Holy Roman Empire, under the strong influence of armorial practice. It determined the life and changes of the Russian eagle, some different versions were in parallel use, each imitating Western forms. From its adoption the eagle usually appeared on the reverse of state seals, the obverse being adorned with St. George killing a dragon. This horseman represented the Sovereign himself, Ivan the Terrible (John IV) was the first to introduce a new kind of state seal with a composition combining both symbols and from this time both, the horseman and the eagle were symbols of the Russian or Muscovite state. |
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Price: $0.00
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