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Mercury flask & plug tall antique iron mining idria aus
I have the following notes by the previous owner:
USA, Spain, and Austria. Forged wrought iron.
Hg flask/plug. Its tulip-shaped top identifies it as made in Idria, Austria.
(Obtained) In trade, Sven Skaar, Pioneer Antiques, Nevada City, CA. 1965.
4.9" diameter x 13.5" height. 9 lbs +."
There are some worn painted letters on one side. I can't make out what the words are. With the plug the flask measures about 15" tall. The tulip-shaped top is a unique feature and makes the flask easy to lift and carry. There are small holes going around the top of the rim. The plug unscrews and can be left in or out. There are two letters stamped into the bottom of the flask which are "ES". There are various dents from use. Please see photos.
Notes on Mercury Flasks and Plugs:
"USA, Spain and Austria. Forged wrought iron (a comparatively pure form of iron, containing practically no carbon, and which is easily forged, welded, etc.).
The early Hg flasks were made from a sheet of wrought iron rolled into a cylinder and the seam blacksmith-welded; tops and bottoms set-in and also welded.
The Hg used in and esssential to the early mining West came from New Almaden and New Idria, both in California. The flasks were intended to circulate from Hg mine to mill and back. However, especially in rich camps like Virginia City they were usually simply discarded, the return being too much trouble, as well as costly. VC was also very careless and wasteful of the expensive Hg itself.
The flask holds a net weight of 76 lbs. of Hg, a unit by which Hg is bought and sold world-wide; a mine is rated by the number of flasks produced annually.
References: Bailey. "NA Quicksilver Mines", being pp. 263-70 in Geologic Guidebook of the SF Bay Counties. Browne. Cinnabar Mines, in his Mining Adventures. pp. 155-94, ill. See pp. 122, 129, 139. Petsche. Str. Bertrand. 67, 68."
