Ewer c. 1730
Rock crystal, silver gilt, peridot, rubies, colourless topaz | 30 cm x 17.4 cm x 10.7 cm (whole object) | RCIN 50551
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A rock crystal and silver-gilt ewer. The heart-shaped stopper is carved with scrolls, with a faceted ball-shaped finial of peridot and a band of rubies. The helmet-shaped ewer is carved with swags and scrolls, with silver-gilt rocaille mounts and bands of gemstones, scroll handle and mask spout. On a later bulbous stand with four scroll legs, densely chased with scrolls.
Stand struck with city mark of London, duty mark, date letter for 1819/20, and maker's mark of Philip Rundell.Provenance
A 1763 inventory of the collections of Queen Caroline (consort of George II) at Kensington Palace, includes a description of a rock crystal ewer 'flaw'd with chimera spout', which may refer to this object. It later appears among a group of objects which passed from the collections of Queen Charlotte at Buckingham House (later Buckingham Palace) to George IV at Carlton House in 1821. It was at this date that a stand was created for it by the royal goldsmiths, Rundell, Bridge & Rundell. Rundells also appear to have created a similar object from rock crystal to accompany this piece (RCIN 50557). In 1818 Queen Charlotte is known to have presented her son George IV, then Prince Regent, with a rock crystal object although it is not certain which object this might be and whether it remains in the Royal Collection.
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Creator(s)
(goldsmith)Acquirer(s)
