About this lot

Description

of conical form, the wooden sides with two applied and cast panels each depicting crusaders in battles possibly during the third crusade, plain silver plated band to the rim with applied Bacchanalian spout, the beaded edged, hinged and domed cover topped with possibly a French knight in armour, his shield decorated with fleur-de-lys motifs, inner stamped 'Sheffield plate', leaf capped scroll handle with leaf terminal and additional cup handle applied to the body opposite, interior in white glazed ceramic, raised on a simple beaded edged and stepped foot, stamped to the underside '345', overall height including the finial, 46cm, maximum diameter 28cm

Footnote: The third crusade was launched by the leaders of the three most powerful states of Western Christianity at the time, England, France and the Holy Roman Empire. King Henry II of England and King Philip II of France (known as 'Philip Augustus') ended their conflict with each other to lead this crusade with the aim of reconquering the Holy Land, following the capture of Jerusalem by the Ayyubid Sultan Saladin in 1187. It was partially successful, recapturing the important cities of Acre and Jaffa, however, it failed to recapture Jerusalem, which was the major aim of the Crusade and its religious focus. The fact that there are apparently English crusaders fighting in the two panels and yet the finial appears to be a French knight would suggest the third crusade, as England and France rarely fought side by side in the Middle Ages.

Back to lot listings