Description

Circa 1925

From our Barware collection, we are thrilled to introduce this rare Napier Art Deco Sterling Silver and Enamel Flask. The Napier Flask with a trapezoidal body with rounded narrow bottom tapers to stepped shoulders with a threaded cylindrical opening and telescopic cap which opens into four interlocking segments. The body of the Napier Flask is enamelled with a pitch black surface with stepped coquille d’oeuf pattern to the base and the corners of the shoulders with an initial engraving to the centre RLH. The neck of the flask is stamped Napier, Sterling, 16OZ. The Napier Flask dates to the first half of the 20th century during the Art Deco period circa 1925.

For a matching shaped example in Sterling Silver please see Brooklyn Museum Flask, accession number 1990.10a-b.

Measurements (inches) 9.65 High x 4.3 Wide x 1.2

Napier was founded in Massachusetts, USA in 1878 originally under the name The E. A. Bliss Co. Initially the company manufactured men’s gilt watch chains. Four years later in 1882, the company became incorporated as The E. A. Bliss Company with the word “The” as part of its legal name. After large growth in 1890 the company relocated to Meriden, Connecticut, USA. During both world wars the company ceased production of its jewellery and focused on the war efforts producing large quantities of war objects such as medals. It wasn’t until 1920 when James H. Napier took over as president of the company that the company was renamed The Napier-Bliss Co. Which again changed in 1922 to The Napier Co. which it is still known as today. Napier were one of the first modern corporate businesses in the USA and were known for their forward thinking in the fashion industry and had a history of sending its designers to Europe for inspiration. The company was taken over in 1999 by the Victoria & Company and the original manufacturing plant closed however, under the umbrella of Jones Apparel Group, Napier jewelry is still being manufactured and distributed today.

Art Deco was a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first appeared in France in the 1910s. It flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920s to early 1930s. It was hugely prevalent through styling and design of the exterior and interior of anything from large structures to small objects and even influenced fashion and jewellery. Art Deco has influenced bridges, buildings, ships, ocean liners, trains, cars, trucks, buses, furniture, and everyday objects like radios and vacuum cleaners. It has become extremely popular today and is highly desirable to collectors and trendsetters in the fashion industry.

Enamel is a material made by fusing powdered glass to a substrate by firing, usually between 750 and 850 °C. The powder melts, flows, and then hardens to a smooth, durable vitreous coating. The word vitreous comes from the Latin vitreus, meaning “glassy”.

Sterling Silver refers to the alloy of metal containing 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% other metals, usually copper or zinc. Sterling Silver objects are stamped with the 925 mark to confirm their authenticity.

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