Alvin Sterling Silver Glass Flask 3/16 Pint with Overlay Antique #4172

  

Jamoneau in 1886 as Alvin Mfg Co in Irvington, New Jersey. The firm changed to Alvin-Beiderhase Co c. 1893 under the management of Wm. Beiderhase moving in 1895 to Sag Harbour, Long Island. In 1886 Alvin patented a process for depositing pure silver on metallic and non-metallic surfaces.

In this process the article was first coated with silver and afterwards a part of the coating was cut away, thus exposing the base, as in pierced work. Undoubtedly the most novel and at the same time artistic work turned out by this company is that known as electro-deposit goods. This class of work was invented and brought to a state of commercial success by this firm. It is applied to decanters, perfume and toilet bottles, carafes, claret pitchers, flasks, perfume atomizers, and in fact an almost endless variety of articles of crystal glass.

The process is guarded as a trade secret; but briefly it may be said, that the article to be silvered is rendered metallic by a coating of silver deposited on the glass surface by the electric current. When this operation is successfully completed, the article is shown completely encased in its covering of pure silver.

The article is then taken in hand by skillful artisans who trace the most intricate designs on the silver surface. The designs are of a continuous character and the intervening spaces are by another process cut away or removed, so as to expose the crystal surface in the interstices of the design. The article is then passed to the engraver, who richly embellishes the remaining surface. The engraved surface is then highly polished. Alvin Sterling Silver Glass Flask 3/16 Pint w/ Overlay Antique #4172.

This piece is in excellent condition for its age, standing out even more compared to similar designs currently on the market. It has undergone a tarnish removal process and has been lightly polished to reveal its true antique beauty. While it does exhibit signs of aging and wear still, these are primarily noticeable on the larger flat surfaces where micro scratches can be seen when the light hits it right.

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