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Lot Essay
These wine coolers epitomise the opulent revivalist style in early 19th century decorative arts that profoundly influenced English and French ormolu and silver-gilt. Often inspired by classical Greek and recently discovered Egyptian antiquities, the ormolu from the workshops of such Parisian masters as Thomire, Deniére and Ravrio was matched in London by that of the Royal Goldsmiths, Rundell and Bridge. Justifiably famous for their silver gilt, Rundell and Bridge also supplied ormolu masterpieces such as the candelabra of circa 1805 for the Duke of Richmond's Egyptian dining room at Goodwood House (C. Hartop, Royal Goldsmiths: The Art of Rundell & Bridge 1797-1843, Cambridge, 2005, fig. 43, cat. no. 87).
The attribution to Rundell and Bridge is well documented. Wine coolers of this model were executed in silver for them by Robert Garrard, and by Paul Storr (e.g. a pair of 1824 with the maker's mark of John Bridge, Christie's London, December 2005, lot 374). In addition, the form and overall decoration are based on a design by Edward Hodges Baily, chief modeller for Rundell and Bridge and now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. The same grape and vine decorative motifs recur on silver-gilt made by the firm for the service of wine throughout the first quarter of the 19th century. Examples include similarly shaped Storr wine coolers of 1811 12, decorated with the Triumph of Bacchus (ibid. fig. 91, cat. no. 23) and another pair (ibid. fig. 92) made for Queen Charlotte in the form of the Theocritus Cup as conceived by Flaxman that, not incidentally, incorporate identical handles.
The attribution to Rundell and Bridge is well documented. Wine coolers of this model were executed in silver for them by Robert Garrard, and by Paul Storr (e.g. a pair of 1824 with the maker's mark of John Bridge, Christie's London, December 2005, lot 374). In addition, the form and overall decoration are based on a design by Edward Hodges Baily, chief modeller for Rundell and Bridge and now in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. The same grape and vine decorative motifs recur on silver-gilt made by the firm for the service of wine throughout the first quarter of the 19th century. Examples include similarly shaped Storr wine coolers of 1811 12, decorated with the Triumph of Bacchus (ibid. fig. 91, cat. no. 23) and another pair (ibid. fig. 92) made for Queen Charlotte in the form of the Theocritus Cup as conceived by Flaxman that, not incidentally, incorporate identical handles.