This centerpiece is one of a pair commissioned in 1906 by Count Lionel Hirschel de Minerbi for the Ca’ Rezzonico palace in Venice. The centerpieces were important parts of the commissioned service, which numbered 465 pieces.
Place Made
England, London
Physical DescriptionColorless and transparent green lead glasses, metallic silver; blown with trailed and pulled decoration, assembled while hot, fabricated cover, handles and base. Tall blown glass goblet shape with shallow bell-shaped bowl (fire polished rim) joined hot to tall hollow conical stem flaring at base, each section decorated with swags of thinly trailed and pulled sea-green; bowl is covered with openwork low domed cover of heavy silver wire attached to circular rim with three small flanges overhanging outside of bowl edge, flame shaped openwork handle topped with a small ball; wide silver collar in two sections, joined by two pairs of small bolts fitted through extruding tabs, fits around stem at bowl juncture, then tapers and extends in narrow ribbons down two sides of base, band folds back over itself at base in raised leaf form; two wide whiplash curve handles, each comprised of three heavy strands of silver wire with leaf-shaped ends, joined vertically to collar then curve upwards, overlap, near bowl edge turning downward, overlapping again then vertically join collar band towards base; apex of each handle decorated with back-to-back pair of small enameled heraldic shields bearing identical coats of arms (diagonally placed fields of red and dark blue decorated with pairs of facing standing lions (on red), a stags head and ship with furled sail (on blue), all surrounding a small central light blue shield transversed by a silver band flanked by two small white stars); edge of glass foot is rimmed in wide silver band bolted to a heavy rounded circular base of dark wood sitting on three patty feet; silver hallmarks stamped on cover and handle mount, and base: "JP&Ss/(Lion passant)/(Leopard head)/1 (1906-7)". Provenance
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