.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
The arms are those of Vansittart impaling Eden for the Rt. Hon. Nicholas Vansittart (1766-1851), who married in 1806 Catherine Isabella, second daughter of William, 1st Lord Auckland and was created in 1823 Baron Bexley. He was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1812-1823 and the plinth of this cup has a matrix of the Exchequer Seal let into it. It was the custom to present the keeper of the seal with a matrix after it had been taken out of commission and defaced. This seal was probably executed by Nathaniel Marchant who was chief engraver to His Majesty's seals until 1816.
The design for the base and handles of this cup is derived from the famous Medici Krater, as engraved by Piranesi in Vasi, Candelabri, Cippi, Sarcofagi of 1778; yet the Triumph of Bacchus frieze is derived from a Roman sarcophagus in the Vatican Museum and published by E. Q. Visconti, in Museo Pio-Clementio in 1782-1802, (see D. Udy, "Piranesi's 'Vasi', the English Silversmith and his Patrons," Burlingotn Magazine, December 1978, pp. 828-29).
The present lot relates directly to a working desgn for Rundell's produced by John Flaxman or William Theed, now contained within a folio labelled "Designs for Plate by John Flaxman, Etc." in the Victoria and Albert Museum (see C. Oman, "A Problem of Artistic Responsibility," Apollo, March 1966, pp. 174-83).
A number of wine coolers of this design were produced by Storr under the direction of Rundell's. Six, on detachable stands of 1809 and 1811, made for the 1st Earl Howe, sold at Christie's, London, July 1, 1953, lots 107 and 108 and are illustrated in N. M. Penzer, Paul Storr: The Last of the Goldsmiths, 1954, pl. XXIX. Another set of four by Paul Storr of 1811 is illustrated in P. Waldron, The Price Guide to Antique Silver, 1982, p. 333, no. 1087 and sold at Christie's, London, March 17, 1999, lot 83. Pairs by Paul Storr are in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (1808), the Victoria and Albert Museum (1809-10) and another pair (1809-10) sold from the Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, Christie's, New York, October 20, 1999, lot 189.
The design for the base and handles of this cup is derived from the famous Medici Krater, as engraved by Piranesi in Vasi, Candelabri, Cippi, Sarcofagi of 1778; yet the Triumph of Bacchus frieze is derived from a Roman sarcophagus in the Vatican Museum and published by E. Q. Visconti, in Museo Pio-Clementio in 1782-1802, (see D. Udy, "Piranesi's 'Vasi', the English Silversmith and his Patrons," Burlingotn Magazine, December 1978, pp. 828-29).
The present lot relates directly to a working desgn for Rundell's produced by John Flaxman or William Theed, now contained within a folio labelled "Designs for Plate by John Flaxman, Etc." in the Victoria and Albert Museum (see C. Oman, "A Problem of Artistic Responsibility," Apollo, March 1966, pp. 174-83).
A number of wine coolers of this design were produced by Storr under the direction of Rundell's. Six, on detachable stands of 1809 and 1811, made for the 1st Earl Howe, sold at Christie's, London, July 1, 1953, lots 107 and 108 and are illustrated in N. M. Penzer, Paul Storr: The Last of the Goldsmiths, 1954, pl. XXIX. Another set of four by Paul Storr of 1811 is illustrated in P. Waldron, The Price Guide to Antique Silver, 1982, p. 333, no. 1087 and sold at Christie's, London, March 17, 1999, lot 83. Pairs by Paul Storr are in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (1808), the Victoria and Albert Museum (1809-10) and another pair (1809-10) sold from the Collection of Alan and Simone Hartman, Christie's, New York, October 20, 1999, lot 189.