Unique 1-of-1 Elkington 'Chased Master' Tripartite Epergne: 1851/1871 Design Transition Model by Jeannest & Willms - 1 Piece

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Item: 'Chased Master' Art Masterwork: Sculptural Tripartite-Base Epergne Master Design Transition Model.

Artist(s): Pierre-Emile Jeannest (EJ, 1813-1857) & Auguste-Adolphe Willms … Read more Item: 'Chased Master' Art Masterwork: Sculptural Tripartite-Base Epergne Master Design Transition Model.

Artist(s): Pierre-Emile Jeannest (EJ, 1813-1857) & Auguste-Adolphe Willms (AW, 1827-1899).
Maker's mark: Pub'd by Elkington Mason & Co.
Model: Base; "B172". Arms; "B250EN".
Style(s): Neoclassical, Neo-Grec.
Materials: Nickel silver base, silverplate.
Date of manufacture: Base (1851)/Sculptural arms (1871).
Foundry benchmarks: "1/146", "629".
Period: Mid-19th Century.
Origin: Birmingham, England.

Offered is an extraordinary museum-caliber, Unique 1-of-1, 'chased master' art masterwork: sculptural tripartite-base silverplate epergne master model, high spot wear; base with faint radial line and top surround-pillar capital and pedestal foot areas-center bowl rim, of exceptional historical pedigree. The (1851) base features the master sculptor EJ's rare incised (inc.) proto-signature. Boasts a remarkable 16 in. diameter, this statement piece perfectly balances (1871) AW design chimera sculptural arms, exhibit minor deflection (hardly visible when fully assembled) with an intact, 4-piece suite of original diamond-cut lead crystal bowls, each small vessel with a blemish [(1) small chip, (2) miniscule flea bites,]. Verso marks: Base stamped "Pubd by Elkington Mason & Co." Foundry: inc. "1/146" - "629". Model: inc. "B172" - "B250EN". Elkington date: stamped "M". Assembly components: Arm-finial-thumbscrew; numerically stamped "4" "5" "6". Artists signatures: Base; monogram stamped "EJ" - inc. "P" - scratched out "ierre" - inc. "Fecit". Arms stamped "A" - "W" under British Patent Office Diamond Registry (May 15, 1871). Surface wear is consistent with its status as a workshop-handled pattern master. Very good.

Measures: 16 W x 16 D x 12.75 H in. (Lg. vessel: 10 D x 4.5 H, sm. vessels: 4.5 D x 2.5 H in. each).

Total approx. weight: 13 pounds, 14 ounces (Crystal bowls included).*
*A typical production epergne of this footprint weighs roughly 4-6 pounds, this piece weighs between 9-10 pounds - substantial physical proof that this is an industrial factory master model rather than a standard commercial release.

Includes: Base, (3) arms, (1) large and (3) smaller original cut-crystal bowls.

Note: This centerpiece is a rare, documented monument to Victorian industrial adaptability, design preservation and collaboration. It offers a fascinating manufacture-documented narrative, represents a manufacturer-authorized bespoke upgrade. Codes confirm that Elkington craftsmen custom-fitted these newly patented sweeping (1871) AW arms to their prized archival (1851) EJ base structure, directly in the Birmingham workshop for an elite client.

The base marked with EJ's signature* (Anomoly: early inc. *proto-signature versus the "Jeannest - Fecit" recognized mark) matches Elkington's rare high-tier tradition of stamping the actual artist's name on exhibition-quality masterpieces, represents the peak of Elkington, Mason & Co. art production, timed perfectly to the (1851) Exhibition in London. Twenty years later, a complex arm configuration upgrade stamped "AW" further elevates this epergne's unique quality to an evolving artifact from Elkington's award-winning World's Fair era.

Most remarkable, this centerpiece is a primary source record, documents the physical "passing of the design torch" between the two most influential Art Directors in Victorian industrial metalwork history. Markings indicate that this object served as an internal foundry master pattern model or an elite, direct-to-artist exhibition commission. It is seldom occasion to come across such a high-caliber museum-grade treasure. Interested in private acquisition or museum donation? Please reach out to us. See less