flea market mystery

[fabfoureal]

Found this at a flea market in Philadelphia,,, It resembles a keg or a barrel no but is only 8.25" in length, 2" in width and 6" in height... made from wood and an opening along the length... It has no markings on it and the patina on it shows it's age..... any ideas anybody ?

 

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[Bigcypresshunter]

patina on wood? could it be a coin bank?

 

[nhbenz]

Canteen/flask?

 

[BigWaveDave]

No clue....
But a colonial pocket coin holder is my guess...

 

[wainzoid]

No clue....
But a colonial pocket coin holder is my guess...

Is that a coin holder in your pocket or are you just happy to see me? I guess you didn't notice the tape measure?

 

[taz42o]

Agree with nhbenz looks like a brandy flask with no holes in the end.
I think the hole in the side is a break.
The ends look different maybe 1 was replaced or patched.
But you can see many of wooden barrel brandy flasks on ebay same shape .

 

[HAPPYCAMPER]

Heres my crazy thought,some type of musical instrument,looks like piece broke off opening,maybe had some type of media that rattled?

 

[BigWaveDave]

Yup...didn't notice the tape measure....
So, here I am, tapping out....no clue....

 

[fabfoureal]

yes,,, wood can have a patina to it,, not just copper......

 

[fabfoureal]

yes ,, wood can have a patina .........

 

[Icewing]

Looks a lot like a small powder keg.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

I'm with HAPPYCAMPER in thinking it might have been something musical.With beans or something that would have rattled.

 

[fabfoureal]

I think your rite, I'm going with Flask......

 

[mojjax]

African slit drum ? https://www.google.com/search?q=afr...ved=0ahUKEwibtJj17efRAhXkbZoKHUmpDOUQ_AUIBygC

 

[BosnMate]

My SWAG is either power keg or flask/canteen. Probably rum, so they could sterilize the water.

 

[bradyboy]

musicale instrument
look at the hand wear details
the hole shows thumb wear on both sides, indicating it was held to the mouth using thumbs
the reed is broken from the right of the hole
back side shows full hand wear
IMO
Brady

 

[nhbenz]

Scroll through these and you can see some tapped and some untapped: wooden canteen flask | eBay

 

[trikikiwi]

Scroll through these and you can see some tapped and some untapped: wooden canteen flask | eBay

Yet looking through all those examples of barrels/liquid containers, if they are coopered at all, it is with metal bands. Quite different to the unknown example.
Before I read any other posters' suggestions, my thoughts were towards a musical instrument, possibly percussion.

A question for the OP. Allowing for the broken piece, is there any way the item maybe once was watertight?

 

[ARC]

IMO... tis Bamboo "cask"...

Seems to have been "tapped"... perhaps for a fermentation ?

Not an instrument...

here is somewhat similar items...

 

[seekerGH]

Wood block drum from Mexico....