The Milton Shield, Paradise Lost and Bangan Shield Pilgrim's Progress Elkington & Company, c.1880

A remarkable pair of Victorian silver plated electrotype shields produced by Elkington & Co., comprising the Milton Shield depicting scenes from Paradise Lost and the Bunyan Shield illustrating scenes from Pilgrim's Progress. Each shield is worked in exceptional relief throughout, its oval surface densely populated with richly chased figural scenes drawn from two of the greatest works of English literature, a central oval boss surrounded by radiating panels of narrative scenes, each rendered with the precision and ambition that defined Elkington's celebrated electrotype programme. Both pieces are presented in their original polished wood display mounts, confirming their status as works of art intended for display of the highest order. A rare and culturally significant pair, representing Victorian craftsmanship and literary scholarship at their very finest.