Victorian Silver Centrepiece by John Samuel Hunt

This silver presentation vase is a small replica of the classical Roman ‘Warwick Vase’. The body is cast and chased with fruiting vines below the rim. The central field has a continuous band with bearded Bacchic heads floating above a lion’s mask and pelt. The applied handles comprise gnarled twisted vine stems. The spreading stem is set on a square foot which in turn sits on an ebonised wooden plinth base. The plinth is applied with two vacant laurel wreath cartouches and two rectangular plaques, one finely engraved with the Royal Coat of Arms and the other inscribed “Plymouth, Devonport and Cornwall Races 1845, the gift of her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria, Augustus Coryton Esqr, W. R. Fortescue Esqr, Stewards” and “Her Majesty’s Vase, value 100gs., for three-year-old and upwards – Heats, about two miles, starting at the T.Y.C. Starting-post, once round, to the Grand Stand Winning-post.” Fully marked and stamped on the side of the foot ‘Hunt & Roskell Late Storr & Mortimer 2225’. English, assayed for London 1845. Provenance: Her Majesty Queen Victoria. Sir John Barker-Mill, Baronet of Mottisfont.Thence by descent. John Barker (1803-1860) was created 1st Baronet ‘of Mottisfont in the County of Southampton’ on 16 March 1836. A noted racehorse owner, Barker won numerous prestigious trophies with Giantess, Cymba, Miss Ellis and Pugilist. His most prestigious horse, Leviathan, sire of Giantess, won 16 of 21 starts and was sold to George IV for 2,000 guineas. Plymouth, Devonport and Cornwall Races were held from 1828 until 1930. The racecourse was a flat, oval course of 12 furlongs with a straight run-in of 2 ½ furlongs. ‘Royal Plates...

A remarkable example of high-Victorian silver, this antique sterling silver centrepiece was crafted in 1878 by renowned London silversmith George Angell. Richly detailed and sculptur...