Description
Veteran’s items are always popular, and they are varied, to say the least. In the Army, the more common pieces are steins, canteens, and pipes. Each of these commemorates the veteran’s service, generally the two years of compulsive service that all German men were expected to do in their late teens or early 20’s. In the Navy, the more popular pieces were various drinking vessels, including steins, flasks, and canteens. Today we offer a very unusual flask for a navy veteran. The flask is actually a glass bottle covered with leather. It has a black and white cord by which the man could have hung the flask around his neck. On one side of the leather flask we see a gilt-toned Hohenzollern Crown (complete with stole) over an anchor with crossed paddles. Just below the anchor is the legend: “1. Werft (Work) Division Kiel.” The latter is embossed in silver on the black leather. Some small loss of leather shows over the word Werft, but its meaning is clear. The flask’s reverse side reveals some patriotic phrases regarding his service. A heart-shaped cutout allows you to look into the glass flask to see the sailor’s sweetheart (much the same as on a veteran’s stein). A lithopane allows the viewer to hold the stein up to the light and see a sweetheart as well. The top of the flask has a removable jigger. This exposes a screw top that allowed the veteran to access his beverage of choice. Navy items like this are difficult-to-find. It would make a wonderful addition to a Navy collection.
