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Lot Essay
La coupe en ambre ici présente est un exemple fascinant du commerce des oeuvres d'art qui étaient restaurées et embellies à la fin du XIXème siècle pour les collectionneurs fortunés. Un dessin conservé au Victoria & Albert Museum à Londres (inv. E. 2620-1919), réalisé par le célèbre orfèvre d'Aix-la-Chapelle Reinhold Vasters (1827-1909), illustrant notre coupe a récemment été publié par Krautwurst (loc. cit.). L'auteur suppose que la coupe pourrait être en cornaline d'après la couleur du dessin de Vasters. Cependant, il s'agit incontestablement de notre coupe, qui semble incorporer le bol en forme de coquillage que nous attribuons à Johan Caspar ou Johan Christophe Labhard, un pied oval en ambre également ancien, et un fût en ambre très certainement exécuté par une autre main. Ainsi Vasters, avec les très belles montures en or émaillé qu'il a imaginées, a réussi à concevoir avec brio un ensemble harmonieux digne des kunstkammern modernes créés par les collectionneurs de la fin du XIXème siècle. Pour d'autres exemples de coupes sculptées avec à l'intérieur de figures couchées attribuées à Johan Caspar Labhard, voir A. Rohde, Bernstein - ein deutscher Werkstoff, Berlin, 1937, nos. 240-247, pp. 77, pl. 95-96. Pour une coupe attribuée à Johann Christoph, voir G. Reineking von Bock, Bernstein - das Gold der Ostsee, Munich, 1981, fig. 155, p. 108.
The present amber cup is a fascinating example of the trade in works of art which were restored and embellished in the late 19th century for wealthy collectors. It appears in a drawing in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, by the celebrated goldsmith, Reinhold Vasters (1827-1909; inv. number E. 2620-1919). The drawing was recently published by Krautwurst (loc. cit.) who supposes that the cup might be made of carnelian due to the colour of Vasters' drawing. However it is unmistakeably the present amber cup, which seems to incorporate the shell-shaped bowl here attributed to Johann Christophe Labhard, an early amber foot, and an amber stem which was almost certainly executed by yet another hand. However, with the beautiful enamelled gold mounts designed by Vasters, the Aachen-based goldsmith has successfully created a harmonious ensemble worthy of the modern kunstkammers that were being created by collectors in the late 19th century. For illustrations of work attributed to the former see A. Rohde, Bernstein - ein deutscher Werkstoff, Berlin, 1937, nos. 240-247, pp. 77, pl. 95-96. For a cup attributed to Johann Christoph see G. Reineking von Bock, Bernstein - das Gold der Ostsee, Munich, 1981, fig. 155, p. 108.
The present amber cup is a fascinating example of the trade in works of art which were restored and embellished in the late 19th century for wealthy collectors. It appears in a drawing in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, by the celebrated goldsmith, Reinhold Vasters (1827-1909; inv. number E. 2620-1919). The drawing was recently published by Krautwurst (loc. cit.) who supposes that the cup might be made of carnelian due to the colour of Vasters' drawing. However it is unmistakeably the present amber cup, which seems to incorporate the shell-shaped bowl here attributed to Johann Christophe Labhard, an early amber foot, and an amber stem which was almost certainly executed by yet another hand. However, with the beautiful enamelled gold mounts designed by Vasters, the Aachen-based goldsmith has successfully created a harmonious ensemble worthy of the modern kunstkammers that were being created by collectors in the late 19th century. For illustrations of work attributed to the former see A. Rohde, Bernstein - ein deutscher Werkstoff, Berlin, 1937, nos. 240-247, pp. 77, pl. 95-96. For a cup attributed to Johann Christoph see G. Reineking von Bock, Bernstein - das Gold der Ostsee, Munich, 1981, fig. 155, p. 108.