Rare silver hip flask

Made by James Dixon to the patent design of Joseph Hall, this is an unusual and rare horizontal silver hip flask with patented pouring mechanism. The body is delightfully hand-engraved on each side with Aesthetic style land and waterscapes in fine detail. The screw-off cover is engraved with a family crest.

Hall described his patent in his application of 1881 thus: In carrying into effect my invention, the orifice of the neck of the flask or bottle is made at the side instead of at the end, and a partition or division is made across the neck of the flask or bottle where the neck is joined to the body, and the partition or division is pierced at the underside to allow the liquid in the flask to flow into the neck.

Given that you could easily drink from the flask without the risk of air bubbles or spillage, a cup was not needed. Joseph Hall patented his flask in several countries and although it appears that it was a very popular design at the time, relatively few of these flasks are seen now.