The Mentmore Venus and Atonius, maker's mark LB, probably for...

the Venus modelled after the Venus de' Medici and the Antinous after the 'Belvedere Antinous', on silver-gilt bases with gadroon borders, both with leaves to protect their modesty, the Venus marked on the base, the Antinous marked on the drapery and base with town mark and maker's mark

64.5cm and 65 cm, 25in. high
11073 gr., 356oz

Provenance:
Purchased by E. Falcke in Portugal on behalf of Baron Meyer de Rothschild for £620 in 1872.

Baron Meyer de Rothschild (1818-1874) and then by descent to his daughter

Hannah de Rothschild (1851-1890), who married Archibald, 5th Earl of Rosebery (1847-1929) in 1878, and then by descent to their son

Albert, 6th Earl of Rosebery (1882-1974) The Estate of the late 6th Earl of Lord Rosebery and his family, Mentmore, Sotheby's House Sale, 19 May 1977, lot 694.

Christie's, London, 10 June 2010, lot 277.

Literature:
Hannah de Rothschild, Countess of Rosebery, Mentmore Catalogue, privately printed by R. & R. Clarke of Edinburgh, 1884, p. 79a and 80

Copy of a manuscript letter from E. Falcke to Baron Meyer de Rothschild, dated 13 June 1872.

J. B. Hawkins, Masterpieces of English and European Silver and

Gold, Sydney, 1979, pp. 10-12.

J. B. Hawkins, The Al Tajir Collection of Silver and Gold, London, 1983, pp. 24-25.