Description
Fluted Rifle Flask by James Dixon & Sons
Fluted Rifle Flask by James Dixon & Sons. An excellent rifle flask by James Dixon & Sons. In lovely original condition and full working order. 6 3/4” godly throwing 70 / 75 / 80 / 85 & 90 grains. See Dixon catalogue 1883 page 28
J Dixon & Sons (James Dixon & Sons), founded 1806 in Sheffield, was one of the major British manufacturers of the Industrial Revolution. They were manufacturers of pewter ware, electroplated Britannia metal, silverware and electroplated nickel silver. Their products included hundreds of items for use in the kitchen (e.g. bowls, cutting-tools) and the dining room (e.g. tea services, cocktail shakers and mixers) as well as items such as candlesticks. They were a world leader in manufacturing shooting accessories through nineteenth century and exported powder flasks in large quantities to America. It was located first at Silver Street (1806) and then at Cornish Place (1822) Sheffield. They were also famous for their sporting trophies. Two of the most well-known are the Hales Trophy commissioned in 1932 (sometimes called the Blue Riband) though this really refers to the pendant flown by the sailing ship currently holding the record for the fastest crossing of the Atlantic. The trophy was then held by the owners of that ship. The other great trophy is the one presented to the winner of the American Masters Golf tournament held annually in Augusta Georgia. This trophy is a scale model of the clubhouse made in 1959-60 and contains 453 troy ounces of silver.
Whistles first appeared in a Dixon catalogue in 1883 though some of their whistles appeared in gun, rifles & sporting goods catalogs of American manufacturers & distributors as early as 1872 for [dog call]s made of Britannia metal,
Early models of Dixon horn made Round pea whistle were in use with carriage drivers & railway conductors since the 1840s and mailmen of the Post Office as early as 1850 .
The firm continued to be a family run enterprise until 1976. The patterns are currently owned by another Sheffield firm who export products mainly to the Middle East.
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