A FRENCH PARCEL-GILT, SILVER-PLATED BRONZE AND COPPER PATERA À LA MINERVE PEDESTAL TABLE, AFTER THE HILDESHEIM TREASURE, CHRISTOFLE, PARIS, 1870-1873 | A French parcel-gilt, silver-plated bronze and copper patera à la Minerve pedestal table, after the Hildesheim treasure, Christofle, Paris, 1870-1873

on three claw feet, the central column shaped stem applied with three masks and palms, the large two-handled bowl decorated with palms and flowers and embossed in the center with Minerva sitting on a rock, numbered 716259 and 830135

Sotheby's Paris, 17 October 2007, lot 28. 

Probably London Universal Exhibition, 1871, and Vienna, 1873.
Paris Universal Exhibition, 1878 (together with all the Hildesheim style pieces created by Christofle).

RELATED LITERATURE
For the foot, see. H. Bouilhet, L'Orfèvrerie française aux XVIIIe et XIXe siècles, vol. 3, p. 77 (on a tea table)
The patera with Minerva is illustrated on M.A. Dancel's article on the treasure of Hildesheim published in 1870.

In overall good condition, guilding slightly worm, especialy in the inside of the bowl. Impressive and rare piece.
"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."

This pedestal table is based on an antique model which is part of an exceptional 1st century AD silver group of treasures rediscovered by soldiers digging a trench in Hildesheim, Germany, on 17 October 1868. On 17 September 1869, the King of Prussia gave these treasures to the Berlin Antique Department. Today it is in the collection of the Pergamonmuseum, Berlin. Among the 70 items, a patera with a figure of Minerva became the emblematic piece of these treasures. In 1869, Christofle, with the assistance of Charles Rossigneux (1816-1909) endeavoured adapting these models into everyday silver-plated articles, such as forks and knives with the handles matching a spoon (cochlea) from the group of treasures. In 1871, Paul Christofle and H. Bouilhet gave a crater-shaped vase together with another to the Cluny Museum (today in the Orsay Museum). Rossigneux made the present three-legged base to turn the enlarged initial patera into a pedestal table. In the 1870 catalogue, the patera alone was offered in two sizes, 40 x 45 cm and 20 x 25 cm. An identical pedestal table is in the Christofle Museum, in Paris. According to the archives of the museum, only two examples were made of this model.