This form of antique sarcophagus reed-gadrooned cistern evolved from the 'krater'-vase cistern illustrated in Thomas Hope's Household Furniture and Interior Decoration, 1807, pl. XIII. The current lot is similar to Gillow's design for a wine-cooler, illustrated in their Estimate Sketch Book of 1820, no.3064. The firm supplied a pair of wine-coolers of this design to Thomas John Wynn, 2nd Baron Newborough (d. 1832).