A MONUMENTAL GERMAN PARCEL-GILT SILVER CENTREPIECE
From the collection of Dr Mohammed Said Farsi
A MONUMENTAL GERMAN PARCEL-GILT SILVER CENTREPIECE

PROBABLY HANAU, MID 19TH CENTURY, PERHAPS AFTER A DESIGN OF AUGUST OFFTERDINGER

Details
A MONUMENTAL GERMAN PARCEL-GILT SILVER CENTREPIECE
PROBABLY HANAU, MID 19TH CENTURY, PERHAPS AFTER A DESIGN OF AUGUST OFFTERDINGER
The domed base applied with a group of Bacchic figures at play, supported on a spreading plinth with foliage and flower swags and lion's masks at intervals, the vase shaped stem similarly supports the large circular dish with two swan handles, with a group of four putto at play and surmounted by a cast figure of Plenty, stuck 'sterling' twice below finial
37 in. (94 cm.) high
510 oz. (15,867 gr.)

Brought to you by

Mary O'Connell
Mary O'Connell

Check the condition report or get in touch for additional information about this

If you wish to view the condition report of this lot, please sign in to your account.

Sign in
View condition report

Lot Essay

While not struck with a maker's mark this monumental centrepiece is typical of the high quality silver being produced in Hanau in the second half of the 19th century. Along with it's thriving community of silversmiths Hanau was also home to the Künigliche Preussische Zeichenakademie, where designers such as August Offterdinger and Max Weise were producing designs for silver which could then put into production by the local factories.

Bruno-Wilhelm Thiele illustrates a number of drawing by Offterdinger which can be associated with the present centrepiece (B.-W. Thiele, Tafel-und Schausilber des Historismus aus Hanau, 1992). While none of the drawing Thiele publishes are exact, they do show elements such as the swan handles, which appear in the drawing for a prunkwagen (B.-W. Thiele, op. cit., no. 140) as well as similar lion's masks, fruit swags and scrolls on a drawing for a tazza (B.-W. Thiele, op. cit., no. 114). Thiele also publishes a photograph (B.-W. Thiele, op. cit., no. 117) which shows a similar surface matting and modelling of the figures on a prunkvase.

More from Centuries of Style: Silver, European Ceramics, Glass, Portrait Miniatures and Gold Boxes

View All
View All