Elegant silver plate and crystal cylindrical cocktail or Martini shaker by silversmith Towle for William Adams. Three-sectioned designed cocktail shaker with removable cap and strainer. Lovely molded crystal body with carving. Legal silversmith hallmark underside of the strainer.
William Adams (1802 - 1861) was a renowned silversmith back in the 1800s with a thriving silversmithing business in New York. His silver shop was continued after his death and eventually purchased by Towle, who has kept his designs alive throughout the decades. The mark on the strainer shows a crown over the word "Italy", with a "WA" stamp (William Adams mark) underneath that. This mark was used by Towle on foreign-made pieces for WA starting in the early 1980s.