MARK OF JOHN HUNT AND ROBERT ROSKELL, LONDON, 1871

Details

A pair of Victorian silver-gilt claret-jugs
Mark of John Hunt and Robert Roskell, London, 1871
Each baluster shaped, on rising domed foot, deeply repoussé and chased with a garland of grapevines on a textured ground, the body with a classical frieze with scroll fruiting vines on each side and with a band of roundels beneath, the bifurcated vine handle applied with grapes and with Leda mask and swan terminal, the shaped rim and spout similarly applied with vines, the collar chased with vines and engraved with the cypher V surmounted by a Royal crown with inscription below, the detachable cork with silver-gilt mounts applied with a bunch of grapes finial, marked on collar and cork mount, also stamped HUNT & ROSKELL and with pattern number under base
14¾in. (37.5cm.) high
101oz. (3,158gr.) without mounted corks
The inscription reads, THE GIFT OF HER MOST GRACIOUS MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA. COWES REGATTA, 1886. (2)

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

The classical scene is that of Eros guiding the star-crowned Ariadne in a quadriga to Zeus. Dionysus had rescued Ariande from the island of Naxos where she had been abandoned by Theseus, whom she had helped guide through the Labyrinth to kill the Minotaur. It is probable that the design for the scene was based on studies of Roman funerary scarcophagi, by the sculptor John Flaxman (1755-1826).

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