Jug London – 1840

A wonderful early Victorian silver jug of shaped Classical Greek style (often referred to as oinochoie) with a snake motif at the top of the handle and the head of a snake at the bottom. The hand-cheeked decoration is beautifully fine and crisp and the interior is gilded. Between the handles, there are small bone spacers indicating it was probably used for hot milk or mulled wine. It looks almost unused and in superb condition. There is a jug made in the same year by the same makers in the Victoria and Albert Museum of almost identical shape but with Egyptian motifs instead of Classical Greek. Dimensions, height to top of handle 20.75 cm. Weight, 11.75 troy oz. Capacity, about 500 ml. Item incorporates ivory and has been registered under the Ivory Act 2018