Collection Online as of March 20, 2023
Decanter Stand
Silver
Diameter: 8.5 x 13.7 cm (3 3/8 x 5 3/8 in.)
Gift of Mrs. Otto Miller 1941.599
Location
not on view
Description
Decanter stands served as coasters for glass wine bottles in order to protect the extremely expensive and fragile linen tablecloths they sat upon. This example contains depictions of large grape vines and youthful figures that evoke the Roman god of wine, Bacchus (or Dionysus in Greek mythology). One of the young boys grasps an empty drinking vessel while the other leans against a panther, the frequent companion of Bacchus.
Rundell, Bridge and Rundell
Philip Rundell (1746–1827) and John Bridge (bapt. 1755–1834) of Rundell & Bridge received the royal warrant in 1797. The firm was responsible for the Crown Jewels used at the coronations of George IV (1762–1830), William IV (1765–1837) and Queen Victoria (1819–1901), as well as for a wide range of banqueting plate and jewelry now in the Royal Collection. Although Philip Rundell and John Bridge were both named in the royal warrant of 1797, it was Bridge who acted as Royal Goldsmith until his death in 1834. His nephew John Bridge succeeded him and served in this position until the firm went into dissolution in 1843. From 1804, the firm was known as Rundell, Bridge and Rundell, and from 1834, Rundell, Bridge & Co.