A parcel-gilt silver tankard - Lot 32

A parcel-gilt silver tankard A parcel-gilt silver tankard Augsburg, 1689 Master silversmith: Philipp Jakob IV Drentwett (active 1682-1712) H. 19.1 cm; wt 810 g. Hallmarks: Augsburg Pyr: 1689 (Seling 1980, no. 142). PID: Philipp Jakob IV Drentwett (Seling 2007, no. 1787). Provenance: Private collection, Paris. Comparative bibliography: J. Mannich, Sacra emblemata LXXVI: in quibus summa unius cuiusq[ue] evangelii rotunde adumbratur, Nuremberg, 1625. M. Meinz, Altes Tafelgerät. Sammlung Udo und Mania Bey, exhibition catalog: Altonaer Museum, Hamburg, 1966. H. Seling, Die Kunst der Augsburger Goldschmiede 1529 - 1868, Munich, 1980. H. Seling, Die Augsburger Gold- und Silberschmiede 1529 - 1868, Munich, 2007. The cylindrical tankard rests on three ball feet and features chased repoussé decoration on the body, with three large silver medallions set between flower and fruit ornaments. The medallions depict scenes from emblems: - MEA SPES HIC SVRCVLVS ESTO ("May my hope here be a young shoot"): a blacksmith in his forge beats iron on his anvil resting on a log. In the background, the furnace, the bellows and a rack loaded with billhooks. - SVM MI PROMISSIO FIRMA ("The promise of the Most High is firm"): an arm emerges from the clouds, holding a banner marked PAX DEI. On the ground, a trophy with a breastplate. - FONS SIC LAT IARE SALVTIS ("the source of salvation is thus hidden"): an arm emerges from the clouds holding an umbrella shading a hen brooding her chicks. Farm buildings in background. The lid is adorned with three fruit trophies surrounding a small central dome bordered by a garland of foliage. The console handle is formed by a stem with leafy scrolls. It is joined to the lid by a cylindrical hinge topped by a scrolled V-shaped thumb rest. Engraved inscription under the mug: N° 28.2.Ø 37.3 Condition: good The mug's medallions are engravings of sacred emblems inspired by the Bible, published in Johann Mannich's 1625 Nuremberg work Sacra emblemata LXXVI : in quibus summa unius cuiusq[ue] evangelii rotunde adumbratur. The one depicting the hen protecting her chicks is a freer adaptation, unless it's another unidentified model. Several other Philipp Jakob IV Drentwett mugs are known to have been decorated with medallions featuring emblems. These include one, identical in construction and decoration, which was part of the collection of Udo and Mania Bey, exhibited in Hamburg in 1966 (cf. Meinz, no. 41).