Bidspirit auction | Impressive Victorian Silver Cup -

Impressive Victorian Silver Cup - Eliyahu's Cup. John Samuel Hunt (1785-1865), London - Quality, most impressive, handmade silver Victorian cup made in the mid-19th century, which was converted into a Jewish cup for the Seder table as an Eliyahu's Cup (Kos shel Eliyahu). Its central upper part is covered with quality handmade craftsmanship using the technique of flattening, embossing and extraordinarily beautiful hammering. The motif of vine branches with leaves and bunches of grapes ornate the length of this beautiful cup. On the lower part of the cup, added later were three figurines of lions holding a rounded shield. Engraved on each of them are the Hebrew words Eliyahu Hanavi, Eliyahu Hatishbi and Eliyahu Hagiladi and an ornament symbolizing the three central words of the Jewish Passover - Pesach, Matzah and Maror. The cup is hallmarked with English stamps of London from 1856 and of the important silversmith John Samuel Hunt. On the bottom of the cup, stamp of the important Hunt & Roskel Late Storr & Mortimer workshop, indicating the company succeeded the legendary silversmith Paul Storr (1771-1844), who started his business as Storr & Co. Hunt & Roskel were the most prestigious silversmiths of Victorian England, descendants of the famed silversmith Paul Storr. They were the silversmiths and jewelers of Queen Victoria and exhibited their pieces at the 1851 Great Exhibition. In 1865, they were known to own the largest collection of gemstones in Europe. With Paul Storr's death in 1838, his business (Storr & Mortimer) was succeeded by his nephew John Samuel Hunt under the name of Mortimer & Hunt. In 1843, the company became Hunt & Roskel until 1897. In 1807, Paul Storr became a business partner of Rundell, Bridge & Rundell, who were the contemporary Royal silversmiths. John Hunt followed in Storr's footsteps and in 1843, the Hunt & Roskel company was registered as Queen Victoria's silversmiths and jewelers. Due to the Queen's extended European family, they became the most important suppliers of the Affluent Society around the world. Provenance: The Bloch Family Collection, Melbourne-Australia.