Presented is very interesting and distinctive silver flask made some time in the mid 19th century in (Holland) the Netherlands. This is a reproduction of a much earlier piece, first produced in the 17th century. The engraved silver bottle hosts a myriad of decorative features, with an overall middle or south eastern Asian form. The double chains attached to the tower-shaped cap connect to green man faces, cast in high relief and applied to the sides of the flask. The body of the flask is covered in hand-engravings. One engraved face features a scene of a well-dressed Dutch lord standing by a lady, with a dog at their feet. A rooster is seen among the foliate scrolls and blossoms above. The opposite face shows a crest topped by a royal crown and supported by two griffins. The field is in quadrants and includes a diagonal sash. The fields are charged in quadrants with a rampant eagle, a rampant lion and an inescutcheon containing three dogwood blossoms. A phoenix bird rising is nestled within the foliage above the crest.
This piece has the Dutch tax stamp of the fish in the cap and a German import eagle (twice) as well as an assay mark on the underside.
The condition of the flask is excellent. The only flaw is the positioning of the very tip of the cover, which wobbles a bit and doesn't always stand straight, and a rock to the pedestal which is slightly bowed by about 1 millimeter.
This piece stands 7 inches tall by 4 inches wide and 2 1/4 inches deep.
