Original U.S. Early 19th Century Hand Carved Scrimshaw Rum Horn Flask With Original Stopper

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a unique and valuable piece of maritime history. It resembles a small bottle-shaped powder horn, a common item in that era. However, it was used as a flask, most likely to hold the daily rum ration. During the early years of the United States Navy, the daily ration of distilled spirits was a half US pint, which equates to approximately 240 milliliters. This ration was served to sailors until 1842, when it was reduced to one gill, or 120 milliliters. Eventually, the ration was abolished in 1862, marking the end of an era for the US Navy. In the colonial era and throughout the 19th century, soldiers, sailors, and frontiersmen used a unique drinking vessel called a Rum Horn. These vessels were fashioned from natural cow or buffalo horns, carefully selected for their size and shape. To make them more suitable for their intended use, the horns were often softened and flattened using heat and pressure. Once the desired shape was achieved, the inside