Flask

photos ©2002 Jeffrey Luke

The flask, a vestige of a bygone era.

A flask is what a man tucked away in his inside jacket pocket before he left the home. On cold days, he would take a swig to warm up (swig, by the way, is a word that has all but disappeared).

A naval officer on his way to the dance would delicately conceal a flask beneath his uniform; not because it was forbidden to drink --- it's just that one was discreet when taking a nip (another world that, sadly, seems to be on its way out).

People were once trusted to carry themselves with discretion and moderation, and one could take a drink of brandy, grand marnier, or rum without being considered an alcholic, lush, or despot. Things have changed.

Here is your chance to buy a flask before they, too, all but disappear from the horizon.

Nicely hewn brushed stainless steel body that curves to fit your own when slid into the pocket of your jacket or vest. Made in Germany, sent to you wrapped in an elegant black velvet draw-string pouch.

The following people used, or were rumored to have used, flasks: Ernest Hemingway, Carson McCullers, Flannery O'Conner, Captain Haddock (from TinTin), John Steinbeck, Harriett Tubman, James Cagney, and Humphrey Bogart. What's holding you back?