This tiny porcelain flask would have been a personal gift that was handed out among friends. It is made from porcelain with an 18k yellow gold lid. It is shaped like a lyre, a type of harp that was used predominantly in Ancient Greece, and decorated with enamel.
The discovery of hard porcelain by Meissen in 1709 created a market for small luxury items that could be used every day. Tiny flasks were created to carry around a little bit of perfume. Since they were expensive and exclusively made for the upper classes, they were often gifted among friends and lovers, and carried little messages or jokes. This flask was therefore obviously gifted as a token of appreciation.
The discovery of hard porcelain by Meissen in 1709 created a market for small luxury items that could be used every day. Tiny flasks were created to carry around a little bit of perfume. Since they were expensive and exclusively made for the upper classes, they were often gifted among friends and lovers, and carried little messages or jokes. This flask was therefore obviously gifted as a token of appreciation.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Size: 36 x 15 x 10 mm.
Weight: 3.10 grams.
Age: Early 19th Century, also known as the Georgian era, circa 1800.
Material: The flask is made from porcelain. The silver gilded lid carries a French hare hallmark, which means it was exported and then re-imported to France somewhere between 1819 and 1838.
Condition: This flask is in excellent antique condition with no wear. There are no losses to the enamel, and even its tiny porcelain stopper is still intact.