Original Item. Only One Available. From the inception of the American Navy, the cow’s horn had been the container of choice for priming powder for cannons. Invariably these horns were simply a larger version of powder horn carried by nearly every owner of a muzzleloading firearm. Initially they were plugged in the same way, with a wood insert in the spout, but towards the end of the 18th century the use of the British thumb lever operated closure mechanism became more common. By the early 19th century in America the mechanically operated spout stopper was standard and except for some refinements to the wood base plug, the introduction of a threaded stopper in the butt to ease the refilling of the horn and some improvements in the slinging system, little changed for the American Naval Priming Horn from the end of the Revolutionary War to the early 1840s. However, by early 1842 the Navy was seriously considering replacing the venerable cow’s horn for priming powder with a copper flask.

This is a phenomenal example of what has become one of the scarcest American powder flasks, the Stimpson U.S.N."Fouled Anchor" Flask of 1845. A Navy Department order dated December 18, 1844 over the signature of W. M. Crane to J. Y. Mason recorded a contract to George Stimpson for copper powder flasks. The Stimpson Fouled Anchor Navy flasks, dated 1845 are held to be the rarest of this type of flask.

The flask is stamped on the cap with STIMPSON / O.H.P. / 1845. This indicates manufacture in 1845 by Stimpson, having been inspected by US Navy Lieutenant Oliver Hazard Perry Jr., son of he Hero of Lake Erie from the War of 1812, Oliver Hazzard Perry. Perry’s inspection initials are found on the side of the copper neck of the flask below the brass top.

The flask is in solid and complete condition and the charging mechanism remains fully functional, operating as it should, although the spring appears to be very weak. The flask shows no separations between the two copper sides nor any repairs. The copper body does show a few small dings or dents that are visible in the accompanying photos.

A phenomenal example of a Mexican-American War Navy flask, ready for further research and display.