Former German patriotic flask covered in embossed red leather and decorated with gilded and polychrome typography, bearing the embossed number "138" as well as the inscriptions "Strasbourg" and "Res. Heilmann". This type of military or commemorative flask was manufactured at the end of the 19th century in the German Empire, often for reservists or former conscripts who had served in a given regiment. The presence of Strasbourg is particularly interesting in the context of Alsace annexed after 1871. The back features a rare heart-shaped window revealing the translucent inner glass, a symbolic decorative detail sometimes found on some high-end Germanic reservist flasks of the period. The hand-painted Neo-Gothic decoration, applied metal numbers, and this heart-shaped rear opening strongly reinforce the sentimental and personal nature of the object.
✦ Provenance: Germany / Strasbourg (Annexed Alsace) ✦ Estimated period: Circa 1887 ✦ Dimensions: approx. 20 x 11 x 4 cm ✦ Material: Glass cased in painted leather and metal ✦ Condition: Good state of preservation with wear from use, scuffs and small losses to the decoration, cap present, heart-shaped rear window preserved
An emblematic object of German reservists from the late 19th century, this heart-windowed flask is a particularly sought-after decorative piece in the world of imperial militaria and Alsatian patriotic souvenirs.
