Continental Germany 1900 Art Nouveau Hanau Jardiniere In 925 Sterling Silver
Continental German Neo-Classic jardinière in silver.
A beautiful highly decorated antique piece, most probably made in Hanau Germany during the Imperial period, circa 1900. This semi oval centerpiece jardiniere was decorated, with baroque and art nouveau patterns in the stylish manner of Louis XV. It was totally crafted with in repousse of solid .925/.999 silver, embellished with organic natural motifs and scenes of the triumph of Bacchus, mounted in four footed elements and two curved handles,
Has a total weight of 379.8 Grams or 12.21 troy ounces and a measures of 133 mm by 223 mm by 127 mm (13.3 x 22.3 x 12.7 Cm) (5.25 x 8.75 x 5 Inches).
Stamped, with the hallmark for the assay of the silver, "STERLING".
Note: From the middle to the end of the nineteenth century copies of old silver, and items designed in an amalgamation of historic styles, satisfied customer demand and preference. Many firms in Europe and in the United States produced this type of silver. Most Hanau firms chose as company marks styles reminiscent of seventeenth and eighteenth century maker's marks.
Hanau silver was largely imported in UK and America between the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. Berthold Mueller was an import firm, who distributed a lot of Neresheimer silver - see John Culme: The Directory of Gold-and Silversmiths, Jewelers and Allied Traders 1838-1914, Vol.1 page, page 335. The firm changed its name 1915 to Berthold Miller and was listed as wholesale silversmiths and jewelers, antique reproduction in silver, ivories, miniatures, enamels, and so forth.
Another importer of Hanau silver was J.G. Piddington which was independent of Berthold Muller and an import firm in their own right, see Culme, page 423 under John George Smith &Co. The shipping and forwarding business was founded in 1849, the firm was a partnership between J. Friend and J. Piddington. The grandson of Piddington, John G. Smiths. took the surname of his grandfather in 1900. J.G. Smith & Co are noted to have imported a great deal of silver, apparently an important part of their business until 1939. Many of these items, decorative in nature, to be of German origin. A privately printed and illustrated history of this firm exists, called 'Vitesse, The Story of Continental Express', published in 1949.
Note: This piece is guarantee to be genuine and authentic to the period stated.
Condition: It is in great condition, with no previous repairs or alterations has been recently gently cleaned and polished
INVENTORY REF: D0000AEML/.1111
