Royal House Antiques

Description

we are delighted to offer for sale this Important, Museum quality, Solid Silver Paris made Wine or Champagne cistern by Emile Hugo after a design by Auguste Nicolas Cain, Circa 1870, complete with the Armorial crest Coat of Arms for Alexandre-Marie-Sébastien de Plœuc, (1815 - 1887)

Where to begin! I have never seen a more stunning example of a solid silver wine or champagne cistern, this is a tour de force in every sense, I will include a full description below but the headlines are that it is 14,741 grams, 473.95 ounces, 14.7 kgs of solid silver that is graded above Sterling, the piece comes with a letter dated 13th March 2025 from the London assay office stating the silver content is as follows

Inner bowl 947.3, tray 933.2, tray figure 936.5, main bowl figure 947.9, main bowl body 935.4, main bowl foot 934.4

Those are all parts of silver per 1000, English Sterling silver is 925/1000 so every single piece, as mentioned is of a higher grade than sterling silver

The condition is exquisite and original, it is unrestored other than a good clean, it will have the normal patina you would expect from a 155 year old piece

Dimensions

Height:- 26cm

Width:- 60cm

Depth:- 44.5cm

Weight:- 14.741 kgs / 14,741 grams / 473.95 ounces

Please note all measurements are taken at the widest point, if you would like any additional or specific measurements please ask

FULL DESCRIPTION

The shaped oval bowl depicting the myth of Diana and Actaeon, cast with the figures of the goddess Diana, with a quiver of arrows across her shoulder at one end, being surprised by Actaeon at the other end, each seated next to a hound, each side with a chased coronet, one above a vacant reserve, the other reserve chased with two intersecting arms, the integrated base tray with stags and deer, with reeded scrolled handles,

The outer bowl is signed a Cain 187C épreuve unique, it comes with a removable liner, marked with Émile Hugo poinçon to the underside of the cistern only (Ag) Émile Hugo was noted silversmith of excellent repute as a craftsman, and flourished between 1853 and 1880. Born in 1824, he trained under his father, the silversmith André-Xavier Hugo.

He has two known registered marks, one of 1853 trading at 18 rue de Quatre-Fils, and another mark of 1859-2 registered at 12 rue Saint-Gilles in Paris. Émile Hugo passed his business on to the highly talented young silversmith Edmond Tetard in 1880.

The arrangement of arms represent the complete armorial for Alexandre-Marie-Sébastien de Plœuc, (1815 - 1887) Marquis de Plœuc and his wife Emilie-Agathe-Marie de MAUDIT du Plessis. Alexandre-Marie-Sébastien de Plœuc was the son of Alexandre Jean Sebasttien de Plœuc (1766-1858) a naval officer, émigré during the French Revolution and prefecture councillor, and his wife Marie-Louise-Alexandrine Le JUMEAU de Kergaradec.

He was deputy governor of the Banque de France, of which he was the head during the Paris Commune. He was also a deputy for the Seine. The de Plœuc family were of noble origin in Brittany, France, now Plœuc-sur-Lié a former commune in the Côtes-d'Armor.

The quartered arms refer to the marriage in 1292 of Taugny de KERGORLAY of Guergarylay and Jehanne de Plœuc daughter and heir of Guillaume I de Plœuc, their descendants adopting the name de Plœuc. Emilie de MAUDIT was the daughter of Charles Antoine Jean de MAUDIT du Plessis, captain and his wife Emilie de MESLON de Tregain.

The blazon is quarterly of four: 1,4: ermine, three chevronnels gules (de Plœuc). 2,3: vaire gules and or (de Kergolay), emparlée or a chevron between three mullets gules pierced of the field (de Maudit).
Payments

We accept payment via Bitcoin, Bitcoin cash, Ethereum, Bacs, Chaps, PayPal or Card, we would kindly ask that all items are paid for within 48 hours and collected within 7 working days, we can hold all paid items for 14 days free of charge, there after a £20 a week storage fee will apply. We have long term storage which is very economically priced, we are happy to hold stock for as long as needed providing it is arranged prior to the purchase.

If sold items aren’t collected within three months and no arrangements have been made for long term storage you will forfeit the item and payment.