Description
the silver fluted neck and flat lid etched with demi-lune borders and citrus fruits, with a scrolled handle above the mallet shaped cut glass body, hallmarked Hukin & Heath, Birmingham 1886
Dimensions
21cm high
Footnote
Literature:
Durant, Stuart 'Christopher Dresser,' Academy Editions 1993, p 85
'Christopher Dresser: People's Designer 1834 - 1904', exhibition catalogue by New Century 2nd - 19th June 1999, figures 82 and M-034
Note: Hukin and Heath first displayed Dresser's designs in their showrooms in August 1879. The designs, along with those for James Dixon in Sheffield are a reflection of the influence of his recent trip to Japan and demonstrate the designers' understanding of the process of manufacture, use of materials and sophistication of line and decoration. The Furniture Gazette of August 23rd 1878 commented "In order that the firm may be recognised by the trade as reliable in point of design in every article of manufacture…and to render themselves secure against the inroads of wedding-cake art, Hukin & Heath have wisely secured the services of one of the past masters of decoration, Dr Christopher Dresser…(who)…has constantly laboured for many years to teach…that in order to be inexpensive - not cheap, that is gimcrack - an article need not be ugly…The great charm about all Dr Dresser's designs is, that they start from a new departure…nothing is taken for granted." The claret jug offered here was amongst those designs, however it is the only known example produced by the firm in silver.