AK-47 Rifle Vodka Bottle

Russia c. 2002

This bottle of vodka in the shape of an AK-47 assault rifle was a lighthearted gift from Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov to Secretary Colin Powell on the occasion of his 65th birthday in 2002. Also known as a Kalashnikov rifle, it was originally designed in the 1940’s for the Soviet military. Powell recounted on a few occasions afterward, with some humor, that he was dismayed when Protocol officials deemed this gift to be “over value” and he was not allowed to consume its contents.

  • Source/Credit: Gift of Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov of Russia to Secretary Powell
  • Catalog Number: 2005.0007.032
  • Created: c. 2002
  • Acquired: 2005

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APA Format

(c. 2002). AK-47 Rifle Vodka Bottle [Object]. National Museum of American Diplomacy, Washington, D.C., United States. https://diplomacy.state.gov/items/ak-47-rifle-vodka-bottle