A FRENCH GOLD ENAMEL AND AGATE TAZZA IN RENAISSANCE STYLE

A FRENCH GOLD ENAMEL AND AGATE TAZZA IN RENAISSANCE STYLE

BY JEAN-VALENTIN MOREL (1794-1860), C.1838-1848

the agate bowl with winged lion handles above a strapwork, shell and leaf decorated stem above a domed foot, stamped with Jean-Valentin Morel maker's mark 'MV', with a compass and French eagle's head poincon de petite garantie

10.9cm high, 10.2cm wide

Provenance

Alfred de Rothschild (1842-1918) the Red Room, Halton House, Buckinghamshire

Lionel de Rothschild (1882-1942)

Edmund de Rothschild (1916-2009)

The Trustees of Exbury House

Literature

Rothschild Archive, London, Manuscript: 000/174/C/3, Christie, Manson & Woods Probate Valuation of 'The Estate of Alfred C. de Rothschild, Esq. C.V.O. Deceased, Halton House Tring'. 1918. Listed as 'A small agate tazza, mounted with enamelled silver gilt stem, £10.0.0.'

Catalogue Note

A similar cup by Morel, designed by Charles Nivillier and made for Maria Alexandrovna, wife of the future Tsar Alexander II of Russia, was shown at the Great Exhibition of 1851. The engraving of the design was published in The Art Journal Illustrated Catalogue, London, 1851,p.112. See. Lucas, Jean-Valentin Morel and the Revival of the Lapidary's Art," Apollo, January 2005, pp.51-52.

Jean-Valentin Morel (French 1794-1860) was a celebrated French silversmith and goldsmith noted for his fine quality lapidary work. He trained under his father and was a student of Adrien Maximilian, maker of gold boxes to Louis XVI and Napoleon. He established his own business in 1818 and registered his own mark in 1827. He specialised in high quality inlay work and producing hardstone cups satisfying the demand from collectors for objects in the Renaissance and Baroque styles. From 1942-48 Morel was in partnership with the French architect Henri Duponchel (1794-1868), establishing themselves as Morel et Cie. They won a gold medal at the Exposition des Produits de l'industrie of 1844 in Paris, however, their partnership ended acrimoniously which resulted in a lawsuit that prohibited Morel from working in Paris. After the revolution of 1848 Morel fled to London and established a workship on New Burlington Street of over fifty staff, registering his London mark in 1849, The culmination of Morel's London career was his display at the Great Exhibition of 1852, there he displayed jewellery silver and numerous neo-Renaissance cups and he was awarded a Council Medal.