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Lot Essay
Pilgrim Flasks
The pear-shaped form of the pilgrim flask has its roots in the leather water flask carried by the pilgrim or traveller of the Middle Ages. Particularly grand flasks with fine cut-card work were produced in the late 17th and early 18th century. Contemporary prints, such as Martin Engelbrecht's representation of the great silver buffet in the Rittersaal at the Berliner Schloss, circa 1708, indicate that they were arranged on side buffets during formal banquets. When placed in wine cisterns, they also served to decant wine.
Late 17th and early 18th century examples provided the inspiration for Edward Farrell and Robert Garrard in the 19th century. These revival pieces were also used as grand display plate. Many of the examples by Garrard were presented by the Royal Families of Europe, such as those exhibited, London, English Silver Treasures from the Kremlin, Sotheby's, 1 January – 28 January 1991, no. 111, which were given by the Royal Families of Greece and Denmark to the Tsar Alexander III on his marriage to Marie Fedorovna in 1866. Another Royal pair by Garrard of 1866 was given to King Christian IX of Denmark, and was sold in the Collection of King George I of the Hellenes, Christie's, London, 24 January 2007, lot 303. A pair of pilgrim flasks in the Royal Collection are illustrated in E.A. Jones, The Gold and Silver of Windsor Castle, London, 1911, p. 36.
The pear-shaped form of the pilgrim flask has its roots in the leather water flask carried by the pilgrim or traveller of the Middle Ages. Particularly grand flasks with fine cut-card work were produced in the late 17th and early 18th century. Contemporary prints, such as Martin Engelbrecht's representation of the great silver buffet in the Rittersaal at the Berliner Schloss, circa 1708, indicate that they were arranged on side buffets during formal banquets. When placed in wine cisterns, they also served to decant wine.
Late 17th and early 18th century examples provided the inspiration for Edward Farrell and Robert Garrard in the 19th century. These revival pieces were also used as grand display plate. Many of the examples by Garrard were presented by the Royal Families of Europe, such as those exhibited, London, English Silver Treasures from the Kremlin, Sotheby's, 1 January – 28 January 1991, no. 111, which were given by the Royal Families of Greece and Denmark to the Tsar Alexander III on his marriage to Marie Fedorovna in 1866. Another Royal pair by Garrard of 1866 was given to King Christian IX of Denmark, and was sold in the Collection of King George I of the Hellenes, Christie's, London, 24 January 2007, lot 303. A pair of pilgrim flasks in the Royal Collection are illustrated in E.A. Jones, The Gold and Silver of Windsor Castle, London, 1911, p. 36.
