Early 19th century vinaigrette modelled as cornucopia, English c1820

An extremely rare early 19^th C Georgian silver vinaigrette modelled as a cornucopia hallmarked for Birmingham and most likely by the silversmith John Bettridge.

This very rare novelty Georgian silver vinaigrette is superbly modelled as a classical cornucopia. The bottom horn section is beautifully detailed and engraved with corded bands. The hinged top section is finely cast and hand chased with an abundant display of mixed flowers, fruit and foliage. The edges of the two parts are each finished with a small raised and engraved foliate moulding and trailing from the lower is a leafy stem indicating the front position for opening. The lid hinges open to reveal a rich gilded interior fitted with an inner hinged grill which is pierced and hand engraved with a central flower with pluming feathers and scrolls. The vinaigrette is instinctively hallmarked on the small inner rim. There is a clear lion standard mark, a part bust of George III or IV and a part anchor mark for Birmingham. And the last mark in the sequence is either a year letter or a maker’s mark.

This design again is very rarely seen and they are almost always from the workshops of John Bettridge. An almost identical example is illustrated in Starting to Collect Silver by John Luddington.

English, circa 1820

Height 4cm x width 3cm x depth 2.3cm