Lot 328
Australian interest - an Emu egg centrepiece
Auction: 30 November 2011 at 11:00 GMT
Description
Joachim Matthias Wendt, Adelaide, the egg with scene of cattle and horses in a natural landscape and with bird finial, raised on tree trunk stem and set on spreading oval base with kangaroo's and emu's on naturalistic ground, raised on a wooden plinth
Dimensions
25cm high
Footnote
For a similar silver mounted Emu egg see Sotheby's The Connoisseurs Spring Collection, 28th October 2008
Powerhouse Museum, Sydney no. 85/412
Joachim Mattias Wendt (1830-1917) came to Adelaide from Schleswig-Holstein in 1854 Within a short time he had established himself in Pirie Street. In 1864 and 1865 he gained first prizes at the Dunedin Exhibition in Scotland.
Wendt was also awarded a prize medals in 1865 and 1866. In 1867 he was appointed Jeweller to HRH the Duke of Edinburgh and gained two gold medals for his work from South Australia. By this time he employed 12 silversmiths as well as watch makers, jewellers and shop assistants.
New South Wales awarded him a medal in 1870. By now he had a well established business in Rundle Street and in 1871 opened a branch in Mount Gambier. In 1878 he won two more first prizes for silverware at the Paris exhibition.