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Lot Essay
This collection was formed by two generations of a New England family. Firstly by Richard Cushing Paine Sr. (1893-1966) of Boston, Massachusetts. Later Paine's son-in-law, Dr John Constable (1927-2016) added wisely to the group, expanding themes established by Paine, such as early silver with Chinoiserie flat-chasing.
The Paine family have been in New England since 1621. Richard Paine Sr., who began this collection, was the great-great-great grandson of Robert Treat Paine (1731-1814), signor of the Declaration of Independence. Many other members of the Paine family have distinguished themselves in the early history of America. In the 19th and 20th centuries the Paine family have been supporters of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston through bequest and loan. Dr John Constable, who married Richard Paine’s daughter Sylvia in 1957 has been described by those who knew him as a Renaissance man. Through his work as a plastic surgeon, specializing in burns, Constable travelled the world and was responsible for the training of many physicians in Southeast Asia. Constable was an early member of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985. Dr Constable was an early Christie's representative in America. His expansive interests ranged from natural history to the arts and Sherlock Holmes.
The present collection is a testament to the good taste and gracious elegance of this important American family.
WINE COOLER
This wine-cooler was part of an important service in the Imperial Collection and used at the Tsarskoye Selo Palace.
The service is recorded by Baron A. de Folkersam in Inventaire de L'Argenterie Conservée dans Les Garde-Meubles des Palais Impériaux, 1907, Vol. II, pp 34 and 36, No. 44 where, under the heading, which in translation reads, ‘Works of the St. Petersburg master Zachariah Deichmann of 1765. Received in 1766’ are listed ‘9 coolers for bottles, numbered 747-755, without liners.’ The present example is engraved no. 751 and with Russian scratch weights that convert to approximately 1,770 gr. Deichmann was apprenticed in Moscow but became a silversmith in the St. Petersburg foreign guild. He supplied the Court with tableware and in 1771 a service ‘for the every day table of his Imperial Highnesses’. After the Russian Revolution various items including parts of the Orloff Service, various gubernatorial services and the Tsarskoye Selo dining service were sold. In all, it appears that seven of the original nine wine coolers from the latter service were sold in the 1930's, two of which were resold Christie's, Geneva, April 26th, 1977, lot 146. Another two were sold Christie's, New York, September 27th, 1978, lot 163; the present cooler may have been one of the pair.
The Paine family have been in New England since 1621. Richard Paine Sr., who began this collection, was the great-great-great grandson of Robert Treat Paine (1731-1814), signor of the Declaration of Independence. Many other members of the Paine family have distinguished themselves in the early history of America. In the 19th and 20th centuries the Paine family have been supporters of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston through bequest and loan. Dr John Constable, who married Richard Paine’s daughter Sylvia in 1957 has been described by those who knew him as a Renaissance man. Through his work as a plastic surgeon, specializing in burns, Constable travelled the world and was responsible for the training of many physicians in Southeast Asia. Constable was an early member of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1985. Dr Constable was an early Christie's representative in America. His expansive interests ranged from natural history to the arts and Sherlock Holmes.
The present collection is a testament to the good taste and gracious elegance of this important American family.
WINE COOLER
This wine-cooler was part of an important service in the Imperial Collection and used at the Tsarskoye Selo Palace.
The service is recorded by Baron A. de Folkersam in Inventaire de L'Argenterie Conservée dans Les Garde-Meubles des Palais Impériaux, 1907, Vol. II, pp 34 and 36, No. 44 where, under the heading, which in translation reads, ‘Works of the St. Petersburg master Zachariah Deichmann of 1765. Received in 1766’ are listed ‘9 coolers for bottles, numbered 747-755, without liners.’ The present example is engraved no. 751 and with Russian scratch weights that convert to approximately 1,770 gr. Deichmann was apprenticed in Moscow but became a silversmith in the St. Petersburg foreign guild. He supplied the Court with tableware and in 1771 a service ‘for the every day table of his Imperial Highnesses’. After the Russian Revolution various items including parts of the Orloff Service, various gubernatorial services and the Tsarskoye Selo dining service were sold. In all, it appears that seven of the original nine wine coolers from the latter service were sold in the 1930's, two of which were resold Christie's, Geneva, April 26th, 1977, lot 146. Another two were sold Christie's, New York, September 27th, 1978, lot 163; the present cooler may have been one of the pair.