Bugbear Gunpowder Flask
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