Old DuPont can

[George]

I have an old DuPont gunpowder can which seems to be labeled HFg. (Is that what it looks like to you? Could it be IIFg?) Can anyone tell me what size/grade that is and when it might have been used?

Spence

 

[excess650]

What is on the reverse side of the can?

Look at the can in this link, marked the same as yours on the front, but clearly marked fffg on the rear
https://www.ebay.com/itm/143973411980

 

[George]

Mine has nothing on the reverse. Thanks, I'm glad to see another one with that HFg marking.

Spence

 

[deermanok]

I think that it's a Roman Numeral.
Looks like a funny squiggly line running through the middle there.

 

[Treestalker]

llFg = 2Fg

 

[Brokennock]

llFg = 2Fg

That would seem painfully obvious, but for the fact the second can shows the same marking as the 1st,,,, yet says fffg on the back.
Spence is a pretty sharp guy. I think he could figure out Roman Numerals. The graphic on the can doesn't look like Roman Numerals. The tops and bottoms of the characters don't match.
But, the cross piece for an H is pretty suspect too.

Wondering if we can find more cans from the same time to see if any also have a similar graphic but do or do not say "superfine," under the maker name "Dupont"? I am wondering if this is an advertising description of quality, i.e. "our powder is of super fine quality," or a comment on granulation.

 

[Musketeer]

Just from looking at pics online it appears they used a stylized Roman numeral system where one of the I's is integrated with the F, so F would be Fg, IF would be FFg, and IIF would be FFFg. That's the impression I get anyway.

 

[Feltwad]

I have an old DuPont gunpowder can which seems to be labeled HFg. (Is that what it looks like to you? Could it be IIFg?) Can anyone tell me what size/grade that is and when it might have been used?
View attachment 85443
Spence

Does the following image from my collection help
Feltwad

 

[Brokennock]

Just from looking at pics online it appears they used a stylized Roman numeral system where one of the I's is integrated with the F, so F would be Fg, IF would be FFg, and IIF would be FFFg. That's the impression I get anyway.

This would make sense given the fffg marking on the back of the second can shown.

 

[Brokennock]

Does the following image from my collection help
Feltwad

View attachment 85509View attachment 85509

Yes, somewhat.
I notice they all seem to say, " Superfine," on them.

But I also notice the letter F is a lot better defined in these slightly later examples.

 

[Crow-Feather]

Probably because everyone sent them an e-mail complaining about the design. (chuckle)

 

[smo]

Looks like an old can of FFFg too me..

Felts can …

Spences can…

FFFg just in a different font it appears too me.

 

[Whitworth]

So I guess the more defined "F" came in with the label bearing the small black bordered box containing the DuPont information and 1924 date at the bottom of the label.. My can like this is full, I intend to shoot some in 2024 if the the Good Lord let's me live that long

 

[George]

FFFg just in a different font it appears too me.

Smo, you may well have solved my puzzle. I hadn't thought of it that way, thanks a bunch.

Spence

 

[George]

My can has no date information at all that I can find. Does anyone have any idea of its age?

Spence

 

[Celticstoneman]

I think that it's a Roman Numeral.
Looks like a funny squiggly line running through the middle there.

Deermanok,
I agree. The serifs would be different if that were an H.

 

[Eterry]

I recently bought a can same vintage at an auction. I'm interested in dates of manufacture.

 

[dragnetbill]

The following is my speculation on this subject.

The can in the OP shows no date on the label, but, has SUPERFINE on it. I think we can speculate that cans of this era were using Roman numerals to designate grade of powder. My further speculation is that these cans pre-date 1924.

Then we have cans of SUPERFINE with the trademark (no.23752) date of 1924 on them; there are lots of these pictured on the internet. I think that what we have here is that in 1924 the company may have trademarked the name SUPERFINE.

There are pictures of older Dupont cans with names such as INDIAN RIFLE GUNPOWDER (trademark no.8657 date of 1908) and EAGLE GUNPOWDER (Duck Shooting No. 1) (no date/registration).

There is a searchable trademark database on the internet; unfortunately the older numbers are not in the searchable database. One thing I did notice however, is that a company like Dupont holds numerous trademarks for the same logo based on the type of product the indivdual trademark registration is seeking to protect.

So, in summary, my speculation is that Dupont marketed a line of gunpowder that they named SUPERFINE somtime prior to 1924 resulting in the OP can. And, that they then registered that trademark in 1924. Somewhere, no doubt there is a dusty document proving all of this, but, I'm not gonna look for it.

 

[excess650]

My can has no date information at all that I can find. Does anyone have any idea of its age?

Spence

I would expect it to be pre-1924 since that is printed on the label of later cans. The shape of the lid on YOUR can might lend a bit more insight.

My own red, oval can with paper label has the 1924 trademark along with the smallish silver colored cap. On the back it indicates 454gr, so obviously later, but I don't know how late DuPont made these cans.

 

[springfield art]

I have an old DuPont gunpowder can which seems to be labeled HFg. (Is that what it looks like to you? Could it be IIFg?) Can anyone tell me what size/grade that is and when it might have been used?
View attachment 85443
Spence

Or, it could be "Two F", as in Roman numeral II.