When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
A rare and elegant Victorian English cut-glass flask, dated 1898/1899, fitted with original sterling silver mounts by John Grinsell & Sons, one of the foremost English silversmiths of the late 19th century.
The flask is formed of heavy hand-blown lead crystal, beautifully wheel-cut with vertical panels and a radiant starburst base, designed in a compact, portable form rather than a table decanter. The cutting is deep, crisp, and uneven in the best way — unmistakably hand executed.
The flask retains its original ground stopper with cork, fully silver-mounted and hallmarked. Crucially, the silver is stamped in three locations — at the neck, on the stopper ring, and at the base of the cork — confirming this is a matched, original flask, not a later marriage.
The sterling silver bears the maker’s mark J.G & S for John Grinsell & Sons, together with the Birmingham anchor, lion passant, and the date letter for 1898/1899. The silver is further engraved with an original Victorian monogram “WLB”, typical of high-quality personal flasks of the period.
Details
• Object: Glass Flask
• Origin: England
• Date: 1898 / 1899 (Victorian)
• Maker: John Grinsell & Sons
• Material: Hand-cut lead crystal with sterling silver mounts (.925)
• Height: 9.25 inches
• Stopper: Original, silver-mounted, fully hallmarked
• Monogram: “WLB” (original)
⸻
Condition
Very fine antique condition.
• No chips or cracks
• Original cork intact with expected age shrinkage
