Amazing tooled, handstitched rawhide thing

[UKRay]

I have been looking at this thing for almost a year at my local antiques (junk) market but as I felt it was very highly priced (£30) and the dealer wasn't moving on it I was unable to take a really close look. Today was cold and wet and I must have hit the right psychological moment as I finally picked this thing up for my offer of £5 - about $7.50 US

I really don't know what it is although I have a few ideas, i'm hoping one of you guys may have seen something like it before. It is very nicely and very neatly hand tooled and hand stitched and seems to have a wooden or cork 'stopper' pushed down inside - I am loathe to poke about too much in case I damage it.

The important thing to note is that this is EXTREMELY well made. I reckon it would hold water - although how that would go down with rawhide I simply don't know - can anyone tell me?

You can get an idea of size from my hand. It measures almost exactly 9" from end to end and the 'hole' is between 1/2" and 3/4" diameter.

But what is it?

Some of the ideas I have already been offered include:

powder flask

a 'drench' bottle for administering medicine to animals

a scribe's sand container

Does anyone know?

[Todd]

I have one that is almost identical that I picked up at an estate sale, except it has no tooling on it. Mine is a black powder flask and it also has a braided leather strap that attaches to the ring and worn around the neck or doubled up and worn through a belt

[celticleather]

Ray - This is almost certainly a Turkish or Afghan powder/shot flask, made from a camel's scrotum! I guess it would have originally had some kind of brass(?) nozzle or plug.

Now go and wash your hands!

[UKRay]

Ray - This is almost certainly a Turkish or Afghan powder/shot flask, made from a camel's scrotum! I guess it would have originally had some kind of brass(?) nozzle or plug.Now go and wash your hands!

I can barely type for laughing! Sadly, I don't think you are right as a camel's scrotum is much bigger than that - and don't bother to ask me how I know! In addition, the tooling goes right to the end of the 'nozzle' and there are no marks that would suggest something is missing.

Any more amusing suggestions?

I have one that is almost identical that I picked up at an estate sale, except it has no tooling on it. Mine is a black powder flask and it also has a braided leather strap that attaches to the ring and worn around the neck or doubled up and worn through a belt

Could you post a picture please, Todd?

Edit due to ROFL...

Edited November 16, 2008 by UKRay

[celticleather]

Maybe a baby camel? I'm not exactly a scrota afficionado, so I'll bow to your greater knowledge!

[pete]

definitaly "scroticus camelieus" bacterin and 7-800 lbs with a left hind navicular problem.

[Drac]

powder horn fron india or similar area. my grandfather has a couple that are very similar including the design work, except his are metal. he even has the flintlocks to go along with them.

[UKRay]

Maybe a baby camel? I'm not exactly a scrota afficionado, so I'll bow to your greater knowledge!

You are most kind, sir, now has anyone else got any ideas?

To be honest, I am not completely convinced by the idea it is a powder flask as I have never seen another one like it but I confess I haven't had much experience with items made from rawhide either - has anyone ever tried tooling rawhide?

Have any of you black powder shooters ever seen a rawhide flask before?

[Hidemechanic]

For this particular example I have a hard time thinking it is for powder, sand for scribes maybe, but the inside is too rough (imo) for powder. Also, the spout would need to be shorter and bigger around or powder would tend to jam up.

I would be more inclined to think this would be a ball pouch for long guns, though I build them of similar design I still have a problem with the length of the neck.

So far I vote for the scribes.GH

[UKRay]

powder horn fron india or similar area. my grandfather has a couple that are very similar including the design work, except his are metal. he even has the flintlocks to go along with them.

Many thanks for your ideas, Drac, but the operative words for me here are "his are metal" just like all the others I have ever seen from that part of the world. Has anyone seen any rawhide work from India? In addition, when I look closely (closer than those pictures and using a magnifying glass) the workmanship doesn't look overwhelmingly Indian to me -but the more I look at it the more I see how beautifully it was made.

This was obviously made by someone with a lot of time on their hands and considerable skill. It would have been an expensive thing to buy. The central pattern on either side is tiny leaves whilst the body of the thing has a 'vine and bunches of grapes' design tooled onto it. Each section is separated by a geometric design made up of tiny diamonds. Every inch of the thing is tooled.

The hand stitching is around 18 to the inch and looks like a linen thread. The only bit of metalwork is the shackle which doesn't really match the rest of the item - it looks poorly made and could easily be a later addition or replacement.