Silver Antique Mounted Claret Jug William & George Sissons, 1866

A Victorian silver-mounted claret jug, the globular glass body engraved allover with a delicate repeating star pattern and a larger starburst to the base, the frosted ground lending the piece a soft luminosity. The richly worked silver collar is chased with floral and foliate ornament between beaded borders, centred by a plain oval cartouche, and surmounted by a hinged domed cover with a thumb-operated lever. Made by William & George Sissons, hallmarked Sheffield 1866, the contrast between the delicately engraved glass body and the exuberant silver mounts is beautifully judged, a fine and characterful example of High Victorian craftsmanship.