Description

It’s extremely rare to find an English silver marriage cup at this early date. Modelled as a lady in a long period dress, her outstretched arms hold an acanthus leaf cup that swivels within 2 oak leaf branches. The richly decorated bodice sits over a long skirt which is the inverted drinking cup; deeply chased and hand decorated with matted background and scroll and foliate ornament. Fantastic quality and excellent weight.

Weight 624g, 20 troy oz.
Height 26cm, 10.2ins. Spread 11.5ins, 4.6ins. Diameter 6cm, 9.6ins.
London 1829.
Maker probably William Eley II.
Sterling silver.

Marks. Stamped on the outside bottom rim of the skirt with a full set of English silver hallmarks, also with matching hallmarks to the edge of the small cup (maker’s mark rubbed).

Literature. English silver wager cups are extremely rare before 1890 after which a number of reproductions appear, mainly imported from Germany and Holland. Only five from the 17th century survive and probably less from the 18th century. These highly collectible double drinking vessels are also known as marriage cups. The idea is to drink the contents of the large cup (the lady’s skirt) without spilling the drink inside the small cup. The bride would drink from the small cup, the groom from the large cup.

All in very good condition with sharp decorative detail. The retaining pin on the small cup is quite tight.

Maker: William Eley

William Eley I, apprenticed to William Fearn 1770, free 1778. Mark entered as spoonmaker , in partnership with George Pierrepoint 1777. Second and third marks alone as smallworker 1778. in 1784 William took out a patent for "Eley's New Constructed Buckles" in Clerkenwell Green and his 4th mark was entered in 1785 as bucklemaker; 5th and 6th marks similarly in 1790 and 1795. In 1797 his 7th mark was entered in parnership with William Fearn as plateworker, same address., and similarly his 8th mark in 1802. Livery 1806. 9th mark entered as a new partnership with William Fearn and William Chawner 108. 10th marks reverting to a partnership with William Fearn only 1814. Died March 1824. William Eley II, son of William Eley I, apprenticed to his father 1808, free 1815. 1st mark in partnership with William Fearn 1824. 2nd mark 1824 in partnership with his brothers Charles and Henry as plateworkers. 3rd mark alone 1825 as plateworker. 4th/5th/6th marks 1825/6. Died June 1846. The business may have been taken over in 1829 by John and Thomas Cutmore at the same address.

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