Shake It in the Big Easy

I just got back from Tales of the Cocktail and what an experience it was. It was great to be back in New Orleans again and seeing the city and cocktail culture coming back to life. While we were there, my good friend John Gertsen from No. 9 Park in Boston took me to M.S Rau Antiques. They had two very rare cocktail shakers on display. The Zeppelin which breaks apart into 18 different functional pieces and a WW1 British Tank. Both are incredible master pieces created by J.A. Henckels Company. You don’t see shakers with this kind of attention to detail anymore. Unfortunately, I did not have the $42,000 on me to spare that day. Bill Rau, the owner was kind enough to send me some photos and descriptions. The next time you are in New Orleans, you must stop by Rau Antiques to see these beautiful works of art. Enjoy and Happy Shaking!!! Cheers - Jacques

Circa 1928
This incredibly rare Graf Zeppelin cocktail shaker, crafted by the J.A. Henckels Company of Solingen, Germany, is one of the very few remaining of its kind with all of its original parts. Sleek and aerodynamic, the shaker is meticulously executed and finished in silver plate, and as a drink-making kit, it is a model of efficiency. Two flasks act as wings, while the zeppelin's nose unscrews to reveal a strainer/juicer, a larger flask and a corkscrew. The zeppelin's tail is a compartment for three jiggers. Finally, the undercarriage slips off, revealing four small spoons. Patterned after one of the first and most important zeppelins ever built, the Graf Zeppelin shaker was originally available in three sizes, with this example being the largest. Regarded as the ultimate cocktail collectible, this beautiful mixer eloquently a replicates the Art Deco fascination with flight and style. A very similar model is featured in The Cocktail Shaker by Simon Khachadourian. Several pieces of the shaker are stamped “Made in Germany, D.R.G.M., 894 884.” Founded in 1731, Zwilling J.A. Henckels is known around the world for the unsurpassed quality of its knives. The company recently celebrated its 275th anniversary.

11.25” wide x 12” length

M.S. Rau Antiques Price: $42,500.00

Reference: The Cocktail Shaker, 2000, Simon Khachadourian

Circa 1920
Modeled after the British Mark IV Tank, this highly original Art Deco cocktail shaker was crafted by the famed Zwilling J.A. Henckels Company of Germany. The silver plate set features six shot cups placed around the perimeter of the tank, while the long-barreled gun turret transforms into a shaker with a generous spout. The Mark IV was a British Tank used in service in 1917 during World War I. Though tanks were first used in World War I by the British during the Battle of the Somme in 1916, they did not become effective in battle until the following year, when their design was improved, incorporating thicker armor plating to withstand bullets from German anti-tank rifles. Over 1,000 Mark IVs were built, far more than any other tank at the time, and they saw action at Messines and Cambrai in 1917. Sets like this are extremely rare. A very similar one is pictured in The Cocktail Shaker by Simon Khachadourian.

5” wide x 11” deep x 6.5” high

M.S. Rau Antiques Price: $28,500.00

Reference: The Cocktail Shaker, 2000, Simon Khachadourian

Comments

[bar tools and accessories]

I am sure fans must have got impressed with this blog!!!