Lead / grease / flint container

[rickystl]

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