This large 1864 presentation vase was and is the most important example of mid-C19th silver in the Australian Collection at the Queensland Art Gallery, cast and chased to the nth degree. Its elaborate decoration was unlike anything produced in the Australian colonies, especially the grapevines that crawled all over the urn, twining around the stem and reaching full flower on the base.
The fine kangaroos and an emu around the base suggested that it was commissioned with an Australian connection in mind. The kangaroo and emu might have been expected on an object used in Australia, but the camel was a bit strange. Perhaps the designer had in mind the camels used in the very recent, very tragic Burke and Wills expedition of 1860-1. Perhaps the camel represented the Afghan camel drivers of Outback Australia.
It was called a presentation vase because it was presented to an important person in the colony, on an important occasion. The Queensland curators believed that the vase was presented to Charles Joseph Latrobe (1801-75) who was Lieutenant Governor of the Colony of Victoria in the early 1850s, to mark the end of his term. Alas the inscription honouring the recipient was removed from the vase.
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sterling silver, cast and chased presentation vase
by Hunt & Roskell, London, 1864
Queensland Art Gallery
It was called a presentation vase because it was presented to an important person in the colony, on an important occasion. The Queensland curators believed that the vase was presented to Charles Joseph Latrobe (1801-75) who was Lieutenant Governor of the Colony of Victoria in the early 1850s, to mark the end of his term. Alas the inscription honouring the recipient was removed from the vase.
sterling silver, cast and chased presentation vase
by Hunt & Roskell, London, 1864
Queensland Art Gallery
The Queensland Art Gallery has gone to some trouble explaining the silver hallmarks on the vase. The sterling silver mark indicated that the vase was guaranteed to contain 92.5% by weight of silver and no more than 7.5% by weight of cheaper metals. The hallmarks also identified the silversmith or the company that made the piece; and showed the date and the location where the piece was assayed. In this case, the assay office was in London and the year was 1864. The silversmith’s mark showed that it was made by John Samuel Hunt (1785-1865).
John Samuel Hunt and Robert Roskell (1843-1897) were aristocrats in the silver art world of Victorian Britain. The firm was heir to my all-time favourite Regency silversmith Paul Storr who established his business as Storr and Co in 1819. Later the firm became, in succession, Storr and Mortimer (1822-1838), Mortimer and Hunt (1839-1843) and Hunt and Roskell (1843-1897) in New Bond Street. The partners in 1864 were 1) John Samuel Hunt, who married Paul Storr's niece, 2) his son John Hunt, 3) Robert Roskell Jnr and 4) Charles Frederick Hancock. Along the bottom edge was ‘Breadalbane 1877’ related to an inventory record for Gavin Campbell (1851-1922), 7th Earl of Breadalbane.
I'm passionate about silver art, but this heavy and historically important object by John Samuel Hunt was too decorative and not useful enough for me. Would the recipient ever use the vase to put water and flowers in? Never!
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Just to compare, I would have personally preferred to receive this parcel-gilt silver vase with its useful shape and classical design made by Daniel and Charles Houle in London, 1868 (22 ½" high). The Houle brothers were making exquisite silver art objects that boasted gold inlay and parcel-gilding, at the very same time that Hunt was making his Queensland confection.
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But, as the Queensland curators noted, the classical restraint typical of the Regency era was disappearing and a taste for rococo was reappearing. Outward looking and expansive, Victorians must have wanted a more international look that could reflect the aspirations of the expanding British Empire. The Houle brothers had to become less retrained or they had to find a new market for their classicism.
John Samuel Hunt and Robert Roskell (1843-1897) were aristocrats in the silver art world of Victorian Britain. The firm was heir to my all-time favourite Regency silversmith Paul Storr who established his business as Storr and Co in 1819. Later the firm became, in succession, Storr and Mortimer (1822-1838), Mortimer and Hunt (1839-1843) and Hunt and Roskell (1843-1897) in New Bond Street. The partners in 1864 were 1) John Samuel Hunt, who married Paul Storr's niece, 2) his son John Hunt, 3) Robert Roskell Jnr and 4) Charles Frederick Hancock. Along the bottom edge was ‘Breadalbane 1877’ related to an inventory record for Gavin Campbell (1851-1922), 7th Earl of Breadalbane.
I'm passionate about silver art, but this heavy and historically important object by John Samuel Hunt was too decorative and not useful enough for me. Would the recipient ever use the vase to put water and flowers in? Never!
**
Just to compare, I would have personally preferred to receive this parcel-gilt silver vase with its useful shape and classical design made by Daniel and Charles Houle in London, 1868 (22 ½" high). The Houle brothers were making exquisite silver art objects that boasted gold inlay and parcel-gilding, at the very same time that Hunt was making his Queensland confection.
sterling silver parcel-gilt vase
by Daniel and Charles Houle
57 cm high, London, 1868