Lead / grease / flint container

Yvain · 27th May 2024, 09:15 PM

Hi all,

Found last week, this small container made of brass with heavy wear. Those have been discussed here before (http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...=Bullet+bronze, http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17586) and have been described as lead balls, grease, or flints containers. I don't have much more to add on the subject but I can link this example from Georgia from the Quai Branly, describe as a lead shot container : https://m.quaibranly.fr/fr/explorer-...-boite-a-plomb.

Anyway, I like this one, even though the attachments are broken, the wear on the engraving is pretty cool I think.

rickystl · Yesterday, 06:19 PM

Hi Yvain

I have 2-3 of these little containers myself. The committee is still out on what these brass containers were actually used for. Today, collectors refer to them as grease containers for ease of discussion. Many believe they were used to carry grease or fat. Trouble is, I've never seen/heard of one having any evidence of old grease inside the container. Some believe that they were used to carry shot/balls/bullets. But this doesn't make sense. The container is too small for carrying shot. Plus, the soft lead balls would bounce around and become slightly deformed. Not good from a shooter's perspective. Still others (including myself) believe they were used to carry spare gun flints and/or oiled small rags for cleaning. But again, still know one is sure.

We do know that the other, small, flat "square shaped" containers were used to carry the miniature copies of the Koran. But these pear shaped containers are still a mystery.

Rick

27th May 2024, 09:15 PM	#1
Yvain Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: France Posts: 176	Lead / grease / flint container Hi all, Found last week, this small container made of brass with heavy wear. Those have been discussed here before (http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...=Bullet+bronze, http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=17586) and have been described as lead balls, grease, or flints containers. I don't have much more to add on the subject but I can link this example from Georgia from the Quai Branly, describe as a lead shot container : https://m.quaibranly.fr/fr/explorer-...-boite-a-plomb. Anyway, I like this one, even though the attachments are broken, the wear on the engraving is pretty cool I think. Attached Images

Yesterday, 06:19 PM	#2
rickystl Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: St. Louis, MO area. Posts: 1,623	Hi Yvain I have 2-3 of these little containers myself. The committee is still out on what these brass containers were actually used for. Today, collectors refer to them as grease containers for ease of discussion. Many believe they were used to carry grease or fat. Trouble is, I've never seen/heard of one having any evidence of old grease inside the container. Some believe that they were used to carry shot/balls/bullets. But this doesn't make sense. The container is too small for carrying shot. Plus, the soft lead balls would bounce around and become slightly deformed. Not good from a shooter's perspective. Still others (including myself) believe they were used to carry spare gun flints and/or oiled small rags for cleaning. But again, still know one is sure. We do know that the other, small, flat "square shaped" containers were used to carry the miniature copies of the Koran. But these pear shaped containers are still a mystery. Rick