A VICTORIAN SILVER FIGURAL SALT CELLAR

MAKER'S MARK OF C. F. HANCOCK, LONDON, 1866

細節

A VICTORIAN SILVER FIGURAL SALT CELLAR
Maker's mark of C. F. Hancock, London, 1866
The rockwork base supporting two salt cellars formed as wicker baskets with gilt interiors, and centering a young girl in costume, fully marked
7½in. (19.1cm.) long, 8¼in. (21cm.) high; 30oz. 10dwt. (956gr.)

拍品專文

The figure of the young girl is most probably that of Marie, the title character in Gaetano Donizetti's opera La Fille du Regiment (Daughter of the Regiment). A supposed orphan, Marie is adopted by the 21st Regiment of the French Army as their "daughter." She prefers military life to that of feminine gentility and vows that her future husband must be a member of the Regiment. Marie falls in love with a Tyrolean named Tonio, who after saving her life, joins the Regiment so that he may win her hand in marriage. La Fille du Regiment made its London debut at Her Majesty's Theatre on May 27, 1847 and remains one of Donizetti's most popular and enduring operas to this day.