A1331|1|1|Drinking horn, made out of the horn of a bull, the surface of which has been carved in low relief with leaves and interlaced scrolls; silver rim at the mouth with leaf-shaped edge slightly engraved; fragment of a silver ornament at the middle. It is inscribed round the mouth:<br><br>S · MJOD - D · A · MINNID<br>(‘Mead to the memory’, i.e., ‘we drink the health in mead’)<br><br>The letter S, if not the owner's monogram, might be for ‘Ská l’, the usual cry at the drinking of healths in the Northlands.<br><br>Icelandic (?), 14th century.<br><br>The silver of the rim bears a small mark; a Dutch tax-discharge mark used after 1814 (Rosenborg (3), no. 7553).
M21|1|1|Henry Bone was appointed Enamel Painter to George III, George IV and William IV and achieved extraordinary financial success with his copies in enamel after Old Master paintings. This enamel is after an oil painting by the French artist Elisabeth Vigée Le Brun (1755-1842) now in a private collection. It shows Emma, Lady Hamilton (1765-1815), the famous wife of Sir William Hamilton, British Envoy in Naples, and mistress of the great naval hero Lord Nelson. The original was painted in 1790. Bone\’s copy was commissioned by Sir William Hamilton and bequeathed by him to Nelson in the year it was painted. Emma is shown as a bacchante, a follower of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine. However, Vigée Le Brun also referred to the painting as a representation of Ariadne, the daughter of the King of Crete who helped the Greek hero Theseus to escape from the Labyrinth but who was abandoned by him on the island of Naxos (as Emma was abandoned by her first protector Charles Greville). (The ship on the horizon may therefore be carrying the departing Theseus.) In a further twist to this complex image, Emma\'s long hair, recumbent pose and revealing dress also evoke many traditional represntations of the Magdalen - perhaps an appropriate reference in view of her colourful early history which included time as a prostitute.<br>The 4th Marquess of Hertford acquired the miniature in 1859 at the sale of the 2nd Baron Northwick through his London agent Samuel Mawson, who had informed him that \'Lady Hamilton is very beautiful.\'
W7|1|1|During the Medieval period the city of Limoges was the one of the most important centres in Western Europe for the large-scale production of metalwork in copper. Objects were cast in moulds, then chased, engraved and sometimes enamelled. Limoges copper-gilt metalwork was widely exported throughout Europe. This relief, which is notable for the exceptionally elaborate chasing of the garments of the six figures, was probably originally attached either to the front of an altar or, possibly, to the side of a reliquary casket or chasse (reliquary or shrine).
W25|1|1|This pair of pattens reflects the 15th century fashion for long, pointed footwear inspired by the aesthetic of Gothic architecture. As early as the 1370s, poulaines (shoes with a long sharp point at the end) became popular for both men and woman. Pattens, such as these, were made to be worn as overshoes to protect the wearer’s poulaines from the mud and snow, by raising the shoes off the ground.
W37|1|1|Ewers and basins were very common domestic objects during the Renaissance and would have been found in every well-to-do household. Whilst undecorated sets in plainer materials were made for daily use, grander sets such as this were generally made for ceremonial purposes and would not necessarily have been used. The basin bears a pair of coat-of-arms, one of which has been identified as that of the Ciacchi family of Florence, suggesting that this set was made as a gift for a marriage involving a member of this family. The ewer and basin are characteristic examples of Venetian enamelled copper work from the period around 1500. The gadrooning in the lower section of the ewer and on the dish also occurs in Venetian glass of the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries and is derived from contemporary metalwork.
W38|1|1|Ewers and basins were very common domestic objects during the Renaissance and would have been found in every well-to-do household. Whilst undecorated sets in plainer materials were made for daily use, grander sets such as this were generally made for ceremonial purposes and would not necessarily have been used. The basin bears a pair of coat-of-arms, one of which has been identified as that of the Ciacchi family of Florence, suggesting that this set was made as a gift for a marriage involving a member of this family. The ewer and basin are characteristic examples of Venetian enamelled copper work from the period around 1500. The gadrooning in the lower section of the ewer and on the dish also occurs in Venetian glass of the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries and is derived from contemporary metalwork.
W82|1|1|Sets comprising a matching ewer and basin in which to wash your hands or face were familiar objects in households throughout Europe. This magnificent basin, made from gilded silver, could in theory be put to practical use but, in reality, it is highly unlikely that it would ever have served any purpose other than display, for example on a buffet in a ceremonial space.<br><br>It is difficult at first to take in all the extraordinary embossed decoration which covers virtually every part of the surfaces of this basin. This over-abundant decoration is typical of the style known as Mannerism, popular throughout Western Europe c. 1520-1600. Forming a bridge between early Renaissance art and the 17th-century Baroque period, Mannerism saw artists moving away from the serene balance and order of the earlier Renaissance, instead placing greater value on movement, as well as the virtuosity of the artist. Certainly the goldsmith who made this object was making a strong claim for his virtuosity.<br><br>The decoration of the basin forms an allegorical presentation of the cosmos. In the outer field are figures in chariots representing the then known planets, interspersed with Biblical and Classical heroes and heroines. In the well are four large cartouches with allegorical representations of the four Elements (water, earth, air and fire) together with figures denoting branches of learning; finally, around the boss are the four Seasons.<br><br>The planet gods are based on engravings made in 1563 by the German artist Nicolaus Wilborn, but this does not necessarily mean that the basin is German. In fact, around 1570 Mannerist style was so international that it is very difficult to attribute the piece to a particular school; especially because it is not hallmarked.<br><br>It has sometimes been thought that the basin and a matching silver ewer (W53; although they probably come from different sets), were made in Portugal around 1560-80. When the pieces were lent to an exhibition by Sir Richard Wallace in 1881, they were said to have come from the collection of the counts of Anadia in Lisbon, but this has never been confirmed and may have been a dealer’s invention. Wallace might have been tricked by a dealer as the coat of arms of Pope Pius IV in the centre of the basin is not original and was probably added to increase the value of the dish.<br><br>Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild, another great nineteenth-century collector, was shown the basin and ewer by his uncle, who intended to buy them but changed his mind. Ferdinand noted in his memoir on collecting: '[...] on my next visit to Sir Richard Wallace [I] saw the plate in one of his glass cases. Could I have foreseen my Uncle's decision I should certainly have endeavoured to secure it for my Father or myself.
W102|1|1|This majestic-looking ostrich statuette was made by the Augsburg silversmith Elias Zorer (master c. 1586–died 1625). The South German city of Augsburg was a leading centre of goldsmithing in Europe, renowned for the high quality silver objects produced there.<br><br>All sorts of human and animal figures were made in the city, especially in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Zorer is known for a few more figures, including a standing cup in the form of a stag in the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford and a standing cup in the form of peasant woman in the British Museum, London. They are characterised by realistic details and fine chasing, evident here in the treatment of the feathers.<br><br>Such statuettes were used not only as decorative objects, for example, table ornaments, but often also as extravagant drinking vessels. The neck of this statue was originally detachable, suggesting that it may have been used as a cup, and it was only pinned at a later date. The ostrich was a relatively popular motif for small-scale silver sculptures and more examples have survived in various collections. Sometimes the body was made of an actual ostrich egg to which silver mounts were attached, making it a desirable item for cabinets of curiosities, collections of rare, exotic and ingenious objects.<br><br>The Europeans were fascinated by the ostrich, seen as an exotic curiosity, due to its enormous size and inability to fly. It received many different meanings and stood for vices and virtues alike, from voraciousness, as it was believed that ostriches could swallow anything, to justice. The latter symbolism was employed by Raphael (1483-1520) who painted an ostrich as an attribute of Justice in the Sala di Costantino in the Vatican. Interestingly, he was inspired by ancient Egyptian beliefs, according to which the soul’s passage to the underworld was determined by weighing the heart of the dead against an ostrich feather.<br><br>The Roman author Pliny the Elder (23-79 AD) in his Natural History incorrectly wrote about the ostrich that it can digest anything. This was possibly the source of a popular myth that it can digest metal, and the reason why the bird is commonly depicted holding a horseshoe in its beak. Today, horseshoes are seen as a symbol of good luck. For Sir Richard Wallace the statue had an additional meaning. He acquired it in 1872, the year after Queen Victoria had made him a baronet in recognition of his charitable work during the Siege of Paris and the Commune. The coat of arms which he was granted included an ostrich’s head with a horseshoe.<br><br>The base of the statue features engraved coats of arms, recently identified as having beloned to leading families of the Swiss Canton of Uri. They were members of the Society of the Ostrich in Altdorf, who commissioned the statuette in 1599. This was probably a shooting brotherhood consisting of prominent citizens. The society's symbol was an ostrich with a horseshoe.
W163|1|1|In the Netherlands in the seventeenth century baby-linen baskets were traditionally presented to expectant parents by the father’s mother shortly before the birth of a child. This example bears the marks of the town of Deventer and the silversmith Lucas Luiksen (Lucassen). The relief in the centre derives from a design by the celebrated Utrecht goldsmith Paulus van Vianen (1570-1613). Its subject, the fleeing Daphne being turned into a laurel tree to escape the attentions of Apollo, seems however to be a strange choice for a baby-linen basket, and perhaps the object is simply a salver.
W198|1|1|The rock crystal used for this set is exceptionally clear. The set, especially the hollow form of the ewer, would have taken great skill to make. The gold mounts of the ewer include a handle in the form of a young Triton wrestling with a snake-like sea monster, and a knob on the cover in the shape of a barking dog.<br>Three examples are known (only two survive with their basins) and they have an important provenance: the Wallace Collection’s set belonged to Madame de Pompadour, the one in the Louvre to the duchesse de Mazarin and later to Marie-Antoinette, and the ewer in a private collection is possibly that recorded in the collection of Madame du Barry.<br>The knob and the handle of our set are stylistically incoherent and, indeed, a marchand-mercier (art dealer) Lazare Duvaux noted in 1758 repairs done to Madame de Pompadour’s rock crystal ewer: the removal of mounts and the additions of a gold handle from a different ewer, a lid and the gold circle for the foot. The mount of the edge of the lid bears the mark of Jean Gaillard and the traces of a year mark, probably that of 1731–32.
W207|1|1|This inkstand, with accompanying pots, bell and sand sifter, was made in Naples in a technique known as piqué work. Involving inlaying tortoiseshell with gold or silver, it was first developed in Naples at the end of the sixteenth century, but was also later adopted in Paris and London, although Naples long remained the centre of its production. This inkstand is signed (‘Sarao Fecit Neapoli’) by Sarao, one of the leading craftsmen in the technique who worked for Carlo III of Naples and his wife Maria Amalia. Notable collections of piqué work were assembled in the nineteenth century by the Rothschild family.
W225|1|1|Toilet services were an integral part of the levée (French) or lever (German), the elaborate morning ritual at which wealthy members of society received favoured guests. The German city of Augsburg became the leading centre of their production in the eighteenth century. Although the original owner of this service is unknown, it is one of the finest to survive, decorated in the full-blown German 'rokoko' style. It contains fifty five pieces for both the toilet and the breakfast meal, but would have had some additional porcelain items now missing. Among the toilet items are the mirror, candlesticks and snuffers as well as various boxes and bottles. The breakfast items include coffee and tea pots, a hot-milk jug and an individual setting with knife, fork and spoon.
W309|1|1|This richly decorated cup was conceived as a horse racing trophy. It is an eclectic assemblage of various jewels and elements. For example, the foot carved in stone might be the bowl from an older tazza (a type of footed vessel), whereas the finial is a pendant (a piece of jewellery) showing St George killing the Dragon. Its function as a horse racing trophy is indicated by horses' heads under the cup. Beneath them, there are four enslaved Black figures whose hands and feet are chained. Although slavery was officially abolished in the French colonies in 1848, racist imagery was still prevalent in the nineteenth century. Enslaved or ‘blackamoor’ figures, as they were often referred to, were historically shown as supports for architectural structures, garden fountains, furniture, and other forms of decorative arts.<br><br>This cup was one of several racing trophies won by Lord Henry Seymour (1805–1859). The son of the 3rd Marchioness by (probably) comte Casimir de Montrond, Lord Henry was the half-brother of the 4th Marquess of Hertford. He led a privileged and fashionable life in Paris and collected works of art. Passionate about horses, he was one of the founders of the French Jockey Club and its first president. Established in 1833 as the ‘Society for the Encouragement of the Improvement of Horse Breeding in France’, the French Jockey Club became an exclusive gentlemen's club. In his will, he included substantial bequests for four of his favourite horses, which were never to be ridden again.