Well made antique silver hip flask with detachable cup and fitted with a hinged bayonet-style, one-twist, cover. The interior of the cup is gilded as is the inside rim of the cover.
Silver hip flasks are usually contoured to match the curve of the wearer's hip or thigh for comfort and discretion in a design also known as a kidney flask. The hip flask began to appear in the form it is recognised today in the 18th century, initially used by members of the gentry.
Two interesting snippets: during prohibition in the United States, women often tucked their hip flask into their garter to avoid detection; and during WWII the Royal Air Force used "hip flask" as code for a revolver.
