A man's trip to an antique shop ended in "not the moment of joy" he expected after he opened what he believed to be an old flask. Alexander Widener, who collects antique goods, took to TikTok after spotting a floral, ceramic book-style ornament, complete with a cork in the top.

"If I was a drinker, I would definitely get this Delft flask," he began in a video. Alexander continued, showcasing the item's inscription which read down it's side: "The gift is small. Good will is all." Removing the cork and pretending to drink from the flask, he asked his followers: "How fabulous is this?"

However, what happened next left Alexander stunned as he reacted in horror after a powder-like residue came pouring out all over his body.

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"Oh my gosh, it was filled with what I hope is sand," he continued. "I almost poured it in my mouth. Do you think it's ashes?"

Alexander swiftly brushed himself down in embarrassment as he declared: "Not the moment of joy I was looking for!"

The clip subsequently went viral, amassing more than 2.5million views in just 24 hours. One TikTok user penned in response: "You almost got possessed by someone's grandma."

A second penned: "It’s 100% ashes I fear." To which Alexander replied: "I think I saw a shell fragment!"

That prompted another viewer to point out: "It’s bone. I spread my dad’s ashes in Yankee stadium and tried to do it secretly while doing a tour there and once I poured his ashes into my hand I was instantly regretting it.

"It contained staples and bone. I was not expecting that. I was expecting something similar to the movies."

A third individual confessed: "It's one of those times I shouldn't laugh and yet here I am, cackling hysterically."

While a fourth TikTok user confessed: "This happened to me at a thrift store. Opened a ceramic jar and a weird oil spilled out. Didn’t care for that experience."

Offering hope to Alexander, others suggested the item might in fact be a hand warmer, containing sand.

"It looks like it’s a handwarmer that was sold at the Met Museum for a while," one person said. "So hopefully it’s just sand from the trip there."

Another agreed: "Those are actually antique ceramic handwarmers from the 18th century."

And a third concurred: "Its a vintage ceramic book flash/handwarmer made in Portugal."