old tinderbox

[OrangSoldier]

Hi there!

I just found this old tinderbox. My dad got it from my granddad, and he does not know where it's from. My granddad lived in Holland, and that's where he got it.
Do you have any information about it? Value?

Cheers,
0.S.

[sitges1990]

My eyes may be deceiving me, but that looks like a Betsy Ross stars and strips flag on the front. I don't know anything about it though.

[kc1]

As its got a cannon on the front could this be related to when artillery pieces were fired via a touch hole system to cause the cannon to fire. From what i've read extra fine powder was needed because the touch hole was relatively small and finer powder gave a quicker burn rate. The touch hole also got carboned up as the piece was used and i wonder if the pin like device was used for clearing it, or possibly to give a measured dose of gunpowder with the pin providing a marker for poor visibility, black powder weapons gave out tremendous amounts of smoke.