This is a set of three unused portfire sticks that have been stored in a vintage tin map case.  Portfires were used to light cannon aboard the wooden deck of a ship.  The portfire is similar to a flare. Portfire sticks were a composition of nitre, Sulphur and mealed powder driven into a case of strong paper. A full-length portfire could burn for about ten minutes and could not be extinguished by water. Portfires were used from the mid- 1600’s up through the Civil War. They were used during the Civil War as a backup way to set a gun off, usually during wet conditions. By that time, however, artillery ignition had switched over to friction primers. Not only was ignition pretty much instantaneous, it was also safer than having an open flame near your powder charges which were invariably in untreated linen bags (i.e. highly flammable and explosive).

These three portfire sticks each measure about 18” long. The paper wrapping has yellowed but is intact, except for one stick which is missing the paper at the end of the stick. The tin map case measures 21 ½” long X 2”wide, and has some light scratches on the surface.

This is a fantastic item for a collector of naval or artillery items.

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