Original U.S. Civil War Era M.W & Co. Lockable Powder Flask with Lock & Key

Original Item. One-of-a-Kind. This is a very interesting leather powder flask dating to the period of the American Civil War, the spout of which actually has a lock & key to prevent the draining of the flask. This is the first example of a powder flask we’ve ever seen with a system like this, and we were unable to find any similar examples in our research.

The flask has a boiled leather body and measures 4½ x 3⅜ x 12”. The brass spout has a threaded top which needs to be unscrewed in order to access the powder. The top has a latch which connects to a tab on the throat, with a small heart-shaped lock securing it, marked to the front M.W. & CO. The lock retains its original key, which is really saying something for a 150+ year-old powder flask. 

This is a really tremendous powder flask, and considering the context of the era, it may have been a communal flask available to all of a community, which would make sense as to why it has a lock & key. The lock is a little “sticky” but does function with some work. Comes ready for further research and display!