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Cup and cover: M.1 & A-1990

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Silversmith: Harris, John, VI

Entities

Categories

Description

Lapis lazuli with chased silver-gilt mounts

Lapis lazuli with chased silver-gilt mounts. The shaped oval base mount is cast and chased with strapwork and foliage around the domed gadrooned lapis foot. The baluster lapis knop in the stem is mounted above and below with bands of marlets, rosettes, and guilloche ornament. The quatrefoil lapis element at the top is a replacement. The oval, fluted lapis bowl has a silver-gilt rim cast and chased with strapwork and foliage. The two handles are formed as snakes and a heron's head gorged with a collar flory, a fish in its beak. The gently domed lapis cover has a silver-gilt border cast and chased with trefoils, and an oval mount with a replacement finial in the form of a vase filled with fruit. Acquired after accession two wax models for the vase and fruit forming the replacement finial for the cover (B and C) and two rubber moulds for the casting of the finial (D and E).

Notes

History note: William Beckford; 10th Duke and later Dukes of Hamilton until 1882; sold Christie's, 17 June-20 July 1882, Catalogue of the Collection of Pictures, Works of Art, and Decorative Objects the property of His Grace the Duke of Hamilton, K.T., 16th day, 19 July, p. 221, lot 2028; the Hon. W. Massey-Mainwaring £787.10s.' probably Christopher Beckett Denison, London; sold Christie, Manson & Woods, 6 June 1885 and further days, First Portion, Catalogue of the Valuable Collection of Pictures, Works of Art, and Decorative Objects of Christopher Beckett Denison, Esq., Deceased, late of Upper Grosvenor Street, 6th day, 12 June, p. 75, lot 775; sold for £735. Anonymous Australian Collection; sold Christie's, 6 December 1989, Important Silver and Objects of Vertu, p. 89, lot 208; Brand Inglis, 9 Halkin Arcade, Motcomb Street, London, SW1.

Legal notes

Purchased from Brand Inglis, who bought it for the Fitzwilliam Museum, using the Rylands, Gow, Leverton Harris and Marlay Funds, and with grants from the MGC Regional Fund, the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the National Art Collections Fund, and a gift from The Friends of the Fitzwilliam Museum.

Place(s) associated

  • London ⪼ England

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bought (1990) by Inglis, Brand

Dating

1820s
George IV
1826 CE - 1827 CE

Note

On accession the cover had a bud-shaped, raspberry-like finial of a differerent shade of gold, and obviously a replacement for that shown in the photograph in the Catalogue of the 1882 Hamilton sale. The finial was replaced by a new one made to match that shown in the photograph, although it is possible that that was not the original. A quatrefoil lapis lazuli element in the stem, present in the photograph, was not there on purchase, and this too was replaced with a lapis quatrefoil made by Charlotte de Syllas

School or Style

Renaissance Revival

People, subjects and objects depicted

Components of the work

Body, Cover, Foot composed of lapis lazuli
Mounts composed of gold silver
Whole Over Old Finia Height 19.6 cm Height 7¾ in
Whole Over New Finia Height 22.3 cm Height 8¾ in
Cover Width 13.5 cm Width 5⅝ in
Across The Handles Width 17.5 cm Width 6⅞ in
Foot Width 9.3 cm Width 3⅝ in
Lapis Lazuli

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: monarch's head

  • Location: On inner rim, on rim, and on underside of foot
  • Method of creation: Struck
  • Type: Hallmark

Inscription present: leopard's head

  • Location: On inner rim
  • Method of creation: Struck
  • Type: Hallmark

Inscription present: lion passant

  • Location: On inner rim, and on rim
  • Method of creation: Struck
  • Type: Hallmark
  • Text: l
  • Location: On inner rim
  • Method of creation: Struck
  • Type: Date letter
  • Text: JH
  • Location: On inner rim, inner rim, and underside of foot
  • Method of creation: Struck
  • Type: Maker's mark

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: M.1 & A-1990
Primary reference Number: 146272
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Wednesday 20 February 2019 Last processed: Friday 8 December 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Applied Arts

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Cup and cover" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/146272 Accessed: 2024-11-02 12:34:33

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/146272 |title=Cup and cover |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-02 12:34:33|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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