A vintage Napier "Bar Baby" Jigger. This miniature shaker/jigger is nothing short of magical and and is comprised of a mini lid and mini cap, fashioned after a full-sized cocktail shaker. This jigger is etched with 1 and 2 oz. lines, so you can measure the perfect amount when making a cocktail. Made by Napier and sold as a "gift for him" in the late 1940s/early 50s. The bottom part of the jigger serves as a jigger and/or you can actually "shake" a mini drink and pour the contents out of the lid. Please note: this piece would often come with a screw cork opener. This set does not have a cork opener. Only the mini shaker/jigger. Truly a neat, figural piece.
A quick bit of history on Napier: The Napier Company was named after its president, James H. Napier, who led the company from 1920 to 1960. But the company's history can be tracked back to 1875 when it was founded as Whitney and Rice in Attleboro, Mass., manufacturing silver products. The firm changed hands and name in 1882 and became Carpenter and Bliss and shortly thereafter, E.A. Bliss and Co., Inc. After rapid expansion in the late 1880s the company moved to Meriden, CT in 1890. After WWI, the firm shifted emphasis from silver products to production of modern jewelry. James Napier became president in 1920 and the company adopted the name Napier - Bliss Co. In 1922, the name was changed to Napier Company. Like many jewelry companies Napier got into lines of art objects and other utilitarian objects like cocktail shakers. In the early to mid 1930s they started producing several cocktail shakers (most notably the "Dial a Drink shaker" and the Rooster motif shaker) other pieces of barware including their well-known graduated/stepped jigger and the Bar Baby jigger.
Measurements: Just shy of 4" tall and the jigger portion measures approx 1 3/4" in diameter.
Hallmarks: "Napier Silver Plate Pat. Pend." (for patent pending) can be found on the bottom of the jigger
Condition: Good vintage condition overall but with signs of age and wear. We're pretty thorough when it comes to our vintage pieces, so here's a full summary:
1) This piece has tarnish in a few places
2) This piece has a "speckled" age/patina to it that will likely not polish away (see photo #5 for a close up)
3) There's tarnish to the interior underside of the lid
4) There's tarnish to the interior bottom (see photo #8)
No dents or dings. Please note: we have not polished this piece. We know the above might sound kit-picky but we like to be thorough when it comes to our vintage pieces. Overall, this piece is in good vintage condition with mild signs of age/wear. Cheers!
**Please Note: we typically do not test our shakers for leakage. We offer a variety of vintage shakers (both usable as well as collectible/display only). We are happy to put our shaker through a thorough leakage test (which involves filling it with liquid and rigorously shaking it) -- please message us if you'd like us to test this particular shaker. Cheers!
**On shipping: We take our packaging very seriously and carefully wrap all pieces well to ensure safe delivery. If you buy multiple pieces/sets, we will combine shipping if possible (glassware sets typically ship in their own box to ensure safe arrival) and will reimburse you for any shipping overages.
****Important to note pre-purchase: Buyers, please examine all photos carefully as we cannot accept returns due to the fragile nature (the possibility of breakage or damage when being shipped back) of our vintage/antique pieces. Our items are true vintage pieces that might have manufacturers flaws, flaws from age, or imperfections in general from being vintage. We try to explain the condition/description in an accurate and thorough manner but we ask that you please examine all photos carefully and ask all questions before purchasing an item as we are unable to accept returns due to the risk of breakage/damage.
A quick bit of history on Napier: The Napier Company was named after its president, James H. Napier, who led the company from 1920 to 1960. But the company's history can be tracked back to 1875 when it was founded as Whitney and Rice in Attleboro, Mass., manufacturing silver products. The firm changed hands and name in 1882 and became Carpenter and Bliss and shortly thereafter, E.A. Bliss and Co., Inc. After rapid expansion in the late 1880s the company moved to Meriden, CT in 1890. After WWI, the firm shifted emphasis from silver products to production of modern jewelry. James Napier became president in 1920 and the company adopted the name Napier - Bliss Co. In 1922, the name was changed to Napier Company. Like many jewelry companies Napier got into lines of art objects and other utilitarian objects like cocktail shakers. In the early to mid 1930s they started producing several cocktail shakers (most notably the "Dial a Drink shaker" and the Rooster motif shaker) other pieces of barware including their well-known graduated/stepped jigger and the Bar Baby jigger.
Measurements: Just shy of 4" tall and the jigger portion measures approx 1 3/4" in diameter.
Hallmarks: "Napier Silver Plate Pat. Pend." (for patent pending) can be found on the bottom of the jigger
Condition: Good vintage condition overall but with signs of age and wear. We're pretty thorough when it comes to our vintage pieces, so here's a full summary:
1) This piece has tarnish in a few places
2) This piece has a "speckled" age/patina to it that will likely not polish away (see photo #5 for a close up)
3) There's tarnish to the interior underside of the lid
4) There's tarnish to the interior bottom (see photo #8)
No dents or dings. Please note: we have not polished this piece. We know the above might sound kit-picky but we like to be thorough when it comes to our vintage pieces. Overall, this piece is in good vintage condition with mild signs of age/wear. Cheers!
**Please Note: we typically do not test our shakers for leakage. We offer a variety of vintage shakers (both usable as well as collectible/display only). We are happy to put our shaker through a thorough leakage test (which involves filling it with liquid and rigorously shaking it) -- please message us if you'd like us to test this particular shaker. Cheers!
**On shipping: We take our packaging very seriously and carefully wrap all pieces well to ensure safe delivery. If you buy multiple pieces/sets, we will combine shipping if possible (glassware sets typically ship in their own box to ensure safe arrival) and will reimburse you for any shipping overages.
****Important to note pre-purchase: Buyers, please examine all photos carefully as we cannot accept returns due to the fragile nature (the possibility of breakage or damage when being shipped back) of our vintage/antique pieces. Our items are true vintage pieces that might have manufacturers flaws, flaws from age, or imperfections in general from being vintage. We try to explain the condition/description in an accurate and thorough manner but we ask that you please examine all photos carefully and ask all questions before purchasing an item as we are unable to accept returns due to the risk of breakage/damage.