Sterling Silver Perfume Flask
A sterling silver perfume flask carries scent through the Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian eras in glass and metal.
Sterling Silver Perfume Flask
A sterling silver perfume flask combines precious metal with glass or leather to hold personal fragrance. When searching for a sterling silver perfume flask, buyers encounter forms ranging from Victorian cut glass bottles to Edwardian overlay designs and George V flasks.
The selection includes scent bottles, double-end containers and vinaigrettes spanning the Georgian period through the 1930s. Pieces appear in green, cranberry, ruby, opaline and amber glass, often encased in silver mounts or fitted with hinged lids.
How They Were Made
Makers combined sterling silver with cut glass, crystal and coloured glass bodies, securing the mounts with tight stoppers. Metalwork involved piercing, embossing and applying silver overlay directly onto the glass body.
Some examples utilise guilloche enamel panels set into the silver cap or body, whilst others wrap the glass in leather, silk or velvet cases.
Materials include sterling silver, cut glass, amber glass, opaline glass, enamel, leather, silk and velvet across Victorian, Edwardian and Georgian periods.
What Varies in Quality
Quality rests in the crispness of the silver chasing and the depth of the glass cutting. Pieces with figural motifs, such as cherubs, animals or figures like Kate Greenaway, demand closer attention than plain cylindrical containers.
The presence of undamaged glass interiors, functional stoppers and clear hallmarks from assay offices like London, Birmingham and Chester distinguish finer examples from standard production items.
Horton & Allday·Sampson Mordan·G H James & Co·Barnsley & Co·Gorham
The Sterling Silver Perfume Flask Glossary
- Sterling silver
- A silver alloy containing 92.5 percent pure silver and 7.5 percent other metals, typically copper. This standard composition appears in hallmarks across British items.
- Vinaigrette
- A small ornamental box or bottle containing a sponge soaked in aromatic vinegar. These pieces feature an internal pierced grille.
- Guilloche enamel
- A decorative technique where intricate geometric patterns are engraved beneath translucent enamel. It decorates the caps and bodies of Edwardian and later pieces.
- Overlay
- Silver cutwork applied over a glass body. The metal forms floral, abstract or Art Nouveau designs wrapping the container.
- Double-end
- A scent bottle with compartments at both ends, allowing the user to carry two different fragrances simultaneously.
Sterling Silver Perfume Flask: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I date a sterling silver perfume flask?
Assay office marks, date letters and maker's stamps stamped into the silver provide the exact year of manufacture.
Stylistic shifts from Georgian simplicity through Victorian ornamentation to Art Nouveau and Art Deco geometry also indicate the period.
Were these flasks meant for daily use?
Victorians and Edwardians carried these containers in reticules or pockets for personal freshness throughout the day.
Double-end versions and vinaigrettes served practical needs when public odours required masking.
What is the difference between a scent bottle and a flask?
Flasks generally feature flattened bodies designed to slip easily into a pocket or travel case. Scent bottles often display upright, globular or figural glass and crystal forms meant for a dressing table.
How should I clean the silver mount?
A soft microfibre cloth removes surface dust without harming the aged patina of the metal. Care is necessary near glass bodies, enamel panels and fitted leather or velvet coverings.