As the name suggests, hip flasks were designed to fit in the owners hip pocket, and traditionally they had a gently curved shape to fit around the hip when carried. As time has gone by the traditional shape has changed somewhat, as with the rather rounded one that we have here in the collection. Made from glass and, we think, pewter, it has a detachable bottom for drinking out of.

Hip flasks were often the preserve of the ‘gentry’ in days gone by, when they were often filled with brandy or port. In the Scottish Highlands another group of ‘gentry’ known as shepherds often carried a hip flask, usually full of uisge beatha (water of life), i.e. whisky – slainte!

A famous UK Politian was once compared to a hip flask similar to ours:

“Smooth, rounded and full of alcohol”.