The Prince and the Plunder

A book on how Britain took one boy and piles of treasures from Ethiopia

Gunpowder holder

Published / by Andrew Heavens / Leave a Comment

What: Gunpowder holder, one of a collection of three

Where: Pitt Rivers Museum, South Parks Rd, Oxford, OX1 3PP

The catalogue entry describes a “cylindrical wooden powder holder, for measuring gunpowder. The lid is decorated with notched patterns.” 

The Accession Book entry reads: “G. F. LAWRENCE, 7 West Hill, Wandsworth- Jan. – [1 of] 3 wooden cases for measured charges of gunpowder, Magdala, Abyssinia – obtained by E. A. Henty.”

Written on object – Powder holder, MAGDALA, ABYSSINIA. E. A. Henty coll. Purch. 1902. [SM 31/10/2007]

Other information: This is definitely E.A. Henty in the accession book, nevertheless the field collector could in fact be George Alfred Henty, the children’s book author, who was in Ethiopia at the right time, see biographies [AP 24/9/2002]

Detail
902.69.3

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