Beschreibung:

THE EMPEROR'S CUP, 1845 A VICTORIAN SILVER SCULPTURAL CENTREPIECE MARK OF JOHN SAMUEL HUNT, FOR HUNT AND ROSKELL, LONDON, 1844, DESIGNED BY EDWARD HODGES BAILY On shaped triangular plinth, surmounted by the equestrian figure of Peter the Great crushing a serpent beneath the hooves of his horse on rockwork base applied twice with an inscription, in Latin and Russian, the lower plinth applied on the three angles with the Imperial Russian arms and with detachable panels between, depicting the Winter Palace, St. Petersburg, The Kremlin, Moscow and Windsor Castle, with inscription beneath, the top of the plinth applied on the angles with figures of Russian cavalry officers from the Guard Caucasian Mountain Squadron, the Guard Cossack Regiment and the Horse Guard Regiment, the body of the centrepiece, applied with rectangular plaques, the first depicting St. George and the Dragon, the second Prince Dmitry Pozharsky and Kuzma Minin, and the third with an inscription, each with laurel wreaths between, marked on base, body, rockwork, coats-of-arms, wreaths, reverse of panels, tails of the small horses, the Emperor’s cloak and most nuts, the underside of the horses engraved ‘No. 1854 Published as the act directs by Hunt and Roskell, 136 New Bond Street, London July 1845’ 37 7/8 in. (96.2 cm.) high 596 oz. 4 dwt. (18,544 gr.) The inscription on the plinth rim reads ‘WON BY CHESTNUT HORSE THE EMPEROR’. The inscriptions on the body read, ‘LUDORUM ASCOTIENSIUM MEMOR / QUIBUS IPSE INTERFUISSET / REGINAE VICTORIAE / HOSPES / MENS IUN MDCCCXLIV / SOLENNE CERTAMINIS EQUESTRIS PRAEMIUM / INSTITUIT / NICOLAUS / TOTIUS RUSSIAE IMPERATOR’. The inscription on the rockwork base reads, '‘PETRO PRIMO / CATHARINA SECUNDA / MDCCLXXXII’ and ‘????? ??????? / ???????? ?????? / ???? 1782’.