The Field

Keeping your powder dry

In the days before the self-contained shotgun cartridge, the sportsman kept damp at bay with the aid of a powder magazine,

“It was ideal for the sporting eld, with its large capacity and the fact that it was easily portable”

IN THE era of muzzle-loading sporting arms, a plethora of accessorie­s were called for to keep the sportsman going in the field – far more than are required today. The need to replenish the powder flask was certainly a necessity, if not essential. Therefore, among the many accoutreme­nts available, gunmakers were able to supply the sportsman with powder magazines that could be taken into the field – ones that could hold up to 10lb of powder in special tins. Those shown here are examples of the two most common designs, namely the mahogany case with tins, and the copper barrel.

The mahogany magazine illustrate­d was retailed by John Manton & Son, one of the great London gunmakers, in about 1825 and is particular­ly rare as few survive, especially as Manton would make these to order for his clients. This one has a lovely rich colour to the flame mahogany and is exquisitel­y made, featuring characteri­stic ultra-fine ebony dovetail wedges and a trademark Manton teardrop escutcheon. The lid still has the original trade label inside and is complete with a flush-fitting, folding ‘Chippendal­e’ carrying handle.

A green baize lines the magazine, which is fitted for two japanned tin canisters, each painted with the word ‘Gunpowder’ in gold letters on one side, with detachable brass nozzles and lacquered brass screw-on caps. There has been some speculatio­n that these cases were likely to be the products of a master cabinetmak­er, possibly one whose workshops were situated a few streets from Manton; clearly the very best in cases would have been needed as the firm’s high-society clients would have expected nothing less.

The other two magazines shown here represent another solution to the gunpowder problem. They are copper barrels, the interior containing a radius of six black japanned and specially shaped, curved tins arranged around a central cylindrica­l black japanned tin. All have brass caps and the central hatch aperture is sealed by a copper plate with a small, ringed handle and a further turned-mahogany cap on top with felt edging.

Here, the larger barrel has two layers of internal tins. The barrels have flush dovetailed vertical seams, top and bottom copper bands and a large copper folding ‘D’-ring handle. This design was first patented by James Walker in 1810 (Patent number 3373, 7 September 1810). It was described in the patent as ‘an improved machine or vessel for the safe conveyance of gunpowder, and for its preservati­on from injury by damp’.

Walker’s intended market was the Royal Navy but the design was swiftly rejected as unsuitable by none other than William Congreve, the Superinten­dent at Woolwich Arsenal, although there were many testimonia­ls to their suitabilit­y by naval captains.

However, it was ideal for the sporting field, with its large capacity and the fact that it was easily portable. Its original naval purpose also explains the retailer’s name on the smaller barrel: Oliver of Wapping, a supplier to shipping on the Thames. These Walker-patent copper barrels were also serial numbered beneath the wooden plug and were initially supplied with a padlock to protect the contents from unauthoris­ed use. (Gunpowder was about two to three shillings a pound in 1810.)

These barrels and boxes were extremely popular on the sporting field during the first half of the 19th century but ceased to be a necessity once the self-contained shotgun cartridge became establishe­d and ubiquitous, with cartridge belts and bags taking over.