AN IMPORTANT MID-18TH CENTURY BRASS TANKARD

AN IMPORTANT MID-18TH CENTURY BRASS TANKARD

BY THE DEMIDOV FACTORY, URAL, RUSSIA, DATED '1751'

the straight-sided drum engraved with a continuous figural scene of fur traders between bands of scrolling foliage, with a double C-scroll handle and waisted scroll-over thumbpiece, the double domed lid with ovoid finial, stamped maker's marks to the underside of the base

19.1cm high

Catalogue Note

The engraved scene is taken from a painting dated 1576, depicting Russian envoys followed by merchants carrying animal furs, arriving at the court of the Holy Roman Emperor Maximillian II at Rosenberg. A tankard of similar shape, but with foliate decoration, is in the Order of Lenin State History Museum, Moscow.

Literature

Illustrated and discussed in R. Butler, 'A Study Collection of Marked Domestic Brass and Other Base Metalware c.1600-c.1900', p.27, no. 39 and on the backcover.