Antique Belle Epoque era French sterling silver mounted liquor flask. With a tapering cylindrical form to the bottle comprising of pate de verre art glass with floral decoration of purple and yellow crocus flowers with green leaves over a clear textured chiseled ice surface. Retains a glass stopper. Mounted with a sterling silver collar, knob lid and removable tumbler cup sheathing the base. Hallmarked with the French Minerva 1st standard mark, which depicts the head of the goddess Minerva with a number 1 beside her to denote a silver content of 950/1000. Maker's marks for silversmith Joseph CROSSARD, active from 1900-1920, whose firm was located at 36 rue de Montmorency in Paris. Flask measures 6" length. In overall good antique condition with general wear commensurate with age and use, there are some shallow indentions to the tumbler cup.
While prized by collectors of lay down scent or perfume bottles, these charming flasks were meant originally for serving liquor, herbal restoratives or absinthe. Sometimes called an opera flask or carriage flask, they were also referred to as flacon à eau de mélisse after a type of absinthe spirits made from lemon balm favored for its fresh citrus taste. Used for liqueur, spirits, tonic waters and flavored herbal remedies one could not be without to help soothe migraines and body aches. They could easily hold a substantial amount to be served in the detachable tumbler that sheathes the base. Smaller than the usual hip flasks, their size and shape allow them to be easily and discretely stow-able. Imagine arriving at the opera with this beautiful marriage of glass and silver, full of absinthe or herbal water, secreted in your coat pocket. A convenient accessory for allowing a lady or gentleman a suitable "restoratif" on a cold carriage journey or at a tedious social event.