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18th-Century Bugbear Gunpowder Flask
- This rare coconut shell "bugbear" gunpowder flask bears an intricately carved scene
- Soldiers and sailors carved flasks like this one while traveling through the Indies
- Imagery of a "bugbear," a boogyman-like mythical beast, also appears on the flask
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Circa 1780
Richly hand-carved in relief with a genre scene of a burglary, this coconut shell "bugbear" flask would have been used to carry gunpowder. A man with a sword protects a distressed maiden as the burglars attempt to enter the home through the window. The "bugbear," a mythical boogyman-like figure, also appears on the flask, complete with black glass eyes and a stopper "mouth" flanked with lugs for securing chains.. . .
Circa 1780
Richly hand-carved in relief with a genre scene of a burglary, this coconut shell "bugbear" flask would have been used to carry gunpowder. A man with a sword protects a distressed maiden as the burglars attempt to enter the home through the window. The "bugbear," a mythical boogyman-like figure, also appears on the flask, complete with black glass eyes and a stopper "mouth" flanked with lugs for securing chains.
These flasks are believed to have been carved by soldiers or sailors who had traveled through the East or West Indies, where coconut shells were plentiful. French prisoners of war would also carve these shells with images of fond depictions of life back home.
7 3/4" high x 3 3/4" diameter

| Period: | 18th Century |
| Origin: | France |
| Type: | Other |
| Depth: | 3.75 in. (9.53 cm) |
| Width: | 3.75 in. (9.53 cm) |
| Height: | 7.75 in. (19.69 cm) |
Buy With Confidence
For over a century, we've placed important art, rare jewels and exceptional objects with more than 14,000 collectors worldwide, and have been recognized by trusted publications including Robb Report, The New York Times, Wall Street Journal and more.

On Approval
Examine select works in person before you commit

125% Guarantee
Full credit plus 5% annual appreciation for five years

Trusted Expertise
Over two centuries of combined experience across our specialists