A rare cistern, Tuscan 17th century

of imposing size, the urn shaped body wrought from brass and applied with maskeroons, spout and handle cast in brass, the lower spout applied with dolphin shaped handle, re-attached, the foot, mouth and lid also cast of brass, retaining extensive traces of red golden coloured lacquer on the underside of lip, body dented in two places

This exceptionally large cistern is of great elegance, the shape dating from the late Renaissance and originating in Tuscany. See O. ter Kuile, Koper & Brons, Rijksmuseum Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1986, cat no. 261, where the author describes a much smaller example in the Rijksmuseum (46 cm. high), Italian, late 16th/ early 17th century. There the spout is formed by a lion’s head. The text cites two further examples, one sold at Frederik Muller, Amsterdam, 21-24 November, 1933, no. 382, the other sold from the collection A. Satori, Kende, Wenen, 2-5 May, 1936, no. 638, pl. XIII, there described as Venetian, early 17th century.