Chope en ivoire montée en vermeil par Johann Eissler, Nuremberg, 1674-1681

le corps sculpté de putti jouant de la musique, le couvercle et le pied à décor de fruits et fleurs

body carved with musical  putti, embossed fruit and flowers at the hinged cover and domed foot, marked on body, cover and foot



 



 



 



 



 

Very nice colour of gilding, repair to narrow split in the ivory sleeve, cover very slightly wobbly on the hinge, fully marked, town marks excellent makers mark not very well struck but clear, overall very nice tankard
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Johann Eissler (1640-1708) était un orfèvre très apprécié des grands de la ville de Nuremberg. Un grand nombre de ses oeuvres sont encore existantes et on y retrouve des pièces d'églises, d'usage quotidien ainsi que des pièces plus exotiques,  telles que des pierres dures, du nautilus, de la corne de rhinocéros et de l'ivoire à montures d'argent ou vermeil. Sept autres chopes en ivoire montées par Johann Eissler sont repertoriées, deux pour la cour de Saxe, une pour la maison ducale de Hohenzollern - Sigmaringen, une autre, 'trésor' de Sir William Holburne (1793-1874), désormais au musée Holbourne, première gallerie publique de la ville de Bath. Un exemple réalisé en 1685 pour Christian Albrecht, duc de Schleswig Holstein-Gottorf est également repertorié, et Marc Rosenberg fait mention de deux autres modèles conservés dans les châteaux de Weimar et de Baden, ce dernier ayant été vendu chez Sotheby's, 5 octobre 1995, lot 482.

 

Johann Eissler (1640-1708), much favoured by the Nuremberg city rulers was a prolific goldsmith with a wide range. A considerable body of work has survived and includes more ordinary items for church and secular use as well as exotica such as mounted hardstone, nautilus shell, rhinoceros horn and ivory.  Seven other ivory tankards with Johann Eissler mounts have been recorded including two for the Saxon court (Green Vaults II. 388 and II. 21), one for the ducal house of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (sold Hugo Helbing, Frankfurt a.M., 4 December 1933, lot 108.), another, the `treasured’ possession of Sir William Holburne (1793-1874), is now in the Holburne museum, the city of Bath’s first public gallery. An  example made in 1685 for Christian Albrecht  duke of Schleswig Holstein-Gottorf,  is known. (see:Karin Tebbe, Nürnberger Goldschmiedekunst, Nuremberg, 2007, p109); Marc Rosenberg records two further examples in Schloss Weimar and Schloss Baden  (Der Goldschmiede Merkzeichen Frankfurt a.M., 1923 no. 4250 (v and y) . The latter which has a knop matching the present tankard and ivory attributed to Georg Kern was sold from the grand duke of Baden’s collection Sothebys 5 October, 1995 lot 482.