This statement American cocktail shaker is the epitome of 1930s elegance. A unique find, it’s designed to guide you through the world of cocktails with its many recipe ideas, and makes a striking centrepiece to any vintage-inspired bar.

Silver-plated with stylish gold touches adding to its Art Deco appeal, it’s presumably made by the Napier Company in the 1930s, a jewellery maker renowned for its cutting-edge silver pieces, at the time influenced by European styles.

What elevates it from other cocktail shakers of its era is the gilded inner sleeve which rotates to reveal recipes for fifteen cocktails. With classics like Old Fashioned, Manhattan and Dry Martini, it speaks of its time, and you may even find a new favourite. Palm Beach or a Bronx, anyone?

The shaker itself consists of four parts – the silver-plated outer case, the brass container for the drinks, the strainer and the lid. The latter features brass lining on the inside – a neat and sophisticated addition, revealed only when in use. This shaker is stamped with ‘patents pending’ on the base.

A grand shaker, standing at 27.5cm tall, it’s in incredible condition, and large enough for several pours. Certainly intended to throw a good party, it is perfect for cocktail connoisseurs or those with a love of Art Deco objets d’art.

Closer look

This Napier “Tell You How” cocktail shaker is in amazing condition and has been sympathetically polished, to give back its original Art Deco glamour. The inner container shows chorizontal lines of scratches, consistent with its use as a rotating cocktail shaker.