C1890 Tiffany & Co. Football Flask – Story Revised 3/5/11

[steve B]

I found that bit here. The game portrayed was apparently played march 13, 1886. It's hard to tell if the reaction to the painting was that impressive or if that's just typical late 1800's hype. The press back then wasn't typically objective in their coverage.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rugby_pioneers/5319001671/

His website at http://rugby-pioneers.blogs.com/rugby/ Has a lot of interesting stuff, it might be worth sending him a link. The connection seems pretty solid, and I don't think he knows about the US print.

I haven't found any info about where the original painting ended up.

I have a few of the illustrated london papers. Now I'll have to find them and go through them a bit more closely. There's even a baseball illustration to be found, and from the looks of it lots of rugby.

Steve B

[Vintage Basketball Pat]

Hi Carlton...

As you know I'm a vintage basketball collector, however I did come across your article on the flask the other day and really enjoyed it. I can appreciate the incredible find! That's what makes our hobby so fun!

I would wonder if the flask would have been purchased from Tiffany's, but then taken to an artist to add the engraving? Otherwise, you would expect that there would be more of them out there.

One of these days, your curiosity will get you to pay that $1000!

Best regards, Pat Vesper