A truly exceptional example of a late Victorian to early Edwardian luxury hip flask by the world-renowned silversmiths and retailers, Charles & George Asprey (Asprey London). This piece features a distinctive hand-hammered sterling silver finish, a design choice popularized by the Arts & Crafts movement to provide a sophisticated, textured aesthetic.
The base is stamped ''ASPREY LONDON'' Retail mark
Having vacant cartouche
Manufacturer: Charles & George Asprey (Marked CA.GA)
Origin: London, England
Construction: Heavy-gauge hand-blown glass body with a sterling silver ''bayonet'' (twist-lock) cap and a detachable silver drinking cup.
The Interior: The drinking cup features its original, remarkably vibrant vermeil (silver-gilt) lining. This gold-wash remains in stunning condition, suggesting the flask has seen very little, if any, actual use.
The Seal: The internal cork remains in perfect, supple condition, maintaining a tight seal—a rarity for a piece of this age.<
...br>Hallmarking & Dating
This flask presents a fascinating ''transitional'' history through its hallmarks:
The Bottle Collar & Cap: Fully hallmarked for London, 1899 (Date letter ‘d’).
The Detachable Cup: Fully hallmarked for London, 1901 (Date letter ‘f’).
This two-year variance is a classic hallmark of luxury bespoke retail, where individual components were often hallmarked as they were completed or pulled from Asprey’s specialist workshop inventory to fulfil an order at the turn of the century.
Condition Report
Good antique condition. The glass is crystal clear with no chips, cracks, slight staining inside glass bottle. The silver is crisp. The bayonet cap locks securely with a satisfying precision. This is a good grade'' specimen for a collector of fine barware or Asprey memorabilia. Marks slightly rubbed, slight ding to cup base.
Dimensions
Height: 12.5 cm
Width: 6.5cm
Antique ID Number (AIDN): SA1205599
Dateline of this antique is 1900
Height is 12.5cm (4.9inches)Width is 6.5cm (2.6inches)Depth is 0cm (0.0inches)
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