A Victorian Silver Figural Centrepiece by John Hunt and Robert Roskell, London, 1869

realistically modelled as a horse and rider, the rider depicted with cap, his boots complete with spurs, the horse saddled and with stirrups, on a base cast as rockwork and with a further ebonised wood base the base 30cm wide, 92oz 13dwt, 2,882gr Among the oeuvre of Hunt and Roskell depictions of horses and figures, such as the present example, stand out. They seem to have been using a number of different designers through the second half of the 19th century, including Alfred Brown, see for example a pair of equestrian groups marked for 1854 which were exhibited at the International Exhibition of 1862 (sold Sotheby’s, New York, 20 October 2021, lot 134) and the Tweeddale Testimonial, now in the collection of Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Another designer was George Armson Carter who is recorded as working for Hunt and Roskell in the late 1860s. He is known to have designed the Huntingdon cup of 1869, the same year as the present example. It is formed as King John on Horseback.

Fully marked on base. The figure part marked on right foot of with maker's mark and left foot with duty mark and lion passant. The horse part marked on right side of tail with maker's mark, lion passant and duty mark. The stirrups and each fixing nut each part marked with lion passant The side of the base further stamped 'Hunt & Roskell Late Storr & Mortimer' and numbered '5071'. The marks are all generally clear. The reins are apparently unmarked but appear to be original. There is some surface scratching and wear, consistent with age and use. There is some scuffing and marks to the ebonised base.