Skip to main content

Priming flask: M.68 & A-1930

An image of Priming flask
View image details Mirador icon - view image Mirador deep zoom IIIF Manifest IIIF Manifest Slow looking

Terms of use

The low-resolution images published on this Website are made available under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (CC BY-NC-ND). For more details: Fitzwilliam Terms of Use

This licence does not include any images of works that are still in copyright. Artistic copyright extends from the life of the artist to 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the artist died.

Download this image

For further information on use of images or to license a high resolution version, please contact our image library who can discuss terms and fees.

Alternative views

An image of Priming flask
An image of Priming flask
An image of Priming flask
An image of Priming flask
An image of Priming flask
View all 6 images attached
Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Maker: Unknown

Entities

Categories

Description

Steel flask inlaid with silver decoration and two vignettes of a lady and gentleman

Steel inlaid with silver decoration in relief. Of flattened pear-shape with cylindrical screw-on stopper (A). Attached to the base of the stopper is a rod within a hollow tube, the top of which is pierced with two D-shaped holes. The sides are decorated with two circular vignettes of a lady and gentleman in early 18th century dress; on one side they stand; on the other she sits on the ground and he stands behind her. The background and stopper are decorated with scrolling foliage.

Notes

History note: Frank Smart Collection

Legal notes

From the Frank Smart Collection, given by T.J.G. Duncanson

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1930-02-14) by Duncanson, T. J. G.

Dating

18th Century
1700 CE - 1760 CE

Note

The style of costume and tall headdress worn by the woman on the flask was fashionable during the reign of Queen Anne

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Decoration composed of silver
Flask & Stopper Height 2.6 cm Length 9.8 cm Width 4.9 cm

Materials used in production

Steel

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: 39 / Pear shaped russet / steel powder primer / inlaid silver, circa 1700 / Scandinavian or Italian
  • Location: Tied round the neck
  • Method of creation: Rectangular tag, written in black ink
  • Type: Paper label
  • Text: 91/30
  • Location: Tied round the neck
  • Method of creation: Oval tag, written in black ink
  • Type: Paper label

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: M.68 & A-1930
Primary reference Number: 19682
Old object number: M.2-1930
Temporary object number: PB 28

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 29 April 2024

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Priming flask" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/19682 Accessed: 2025-12-05 14:30:24

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/19682 |title=Priming flask |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-05 14:30:24|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

API call for this record

To call these data via our API (remember this needs to be authenticated) you can use this code snippet:

https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/api/v1/objects/object-19682

Bootstrap HTML code for reuse

To use this as a simple code embed, copy this string:

<div class="text-center">
    <figure class="figure">
        <img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/aa/aa30/M_68__26_A_1930_1_201407_jas244_mas.jpg"
        alt="Priming flask"
        class="img-fluid" />
        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Priming flask</figcaption>
    </figure>
</div>

Sign up for updates

Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...

University of Cambridge Museums logo
Cambridge City Council logo
Arts Council England Logo
Research England logo