Flask or flacon
19th century, after 1619–20 original
Medium
Electroformed copper, gilt
Dimensions
Overall (confirmed): 20 × 7 13/16 × 7 3/8 in. (50.8 × 19.8 × 18.7 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Electrotype
Culture
British, Birmingham, after British, London original
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Henry G. Marquand, 1883
Accession Number
83.18.19a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
This striking flask, or flacon, crafted the renowned British firm Elkington & Co. in 19th-century Birmingham, is a faithful electrotype reproduction of a rare 1619–20 original from London. Standing an impressive 20 inches tall, it exemplifies the Victorian era's fascination with historical revivalism, blending Renaissance opulence with cutting-edge industrial innovation. Gifted to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in1883 by Henry G. Marquand, it resides in the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts collection, showcasing intricate metalwork adorned with fantastical monster motifs that evoke the g...
About the Artist
Elkington & Co. · 1829–1963
Elkington & Co. was the Birmingham firm that transformed the production of decorative metalwork by commercializing electroplating — a process that made silver-quality objects accessible to a vastly wider public. The company was established by George Richards Elkington (1801–1865) and his cousin Henry Elkington during the 1830s, initially trading as G. R. Elkington & Co. A crucial turning point cam...