Important silver ewer, basin and soap dish - Lot 231

Important silver ewer, basin and soap dish Probably Marseille for Algeria, circa 1800 Ewer: H.35 cm Basin: D. 37.5 cm Soap dish: D. 24 cm Total weight: 3788 g - Ewer weight: 1414 g (various European and Oriental silver hallmarks and control marks) Provenance : - Former Henry-René d'Allemagne collection (1863-1950). Publication: - Janneau, G. (1948) Henry-René d'Allemagne, La maison d'un vieux collectionneur, Paris: Librairie Gründ, Tome Second, Pl. CLXXXIII, N°183. This imposing ewer is accompanied by its basin and sabunluk soap dish. The body is decorated with large flowers. The sabunluk is openwork with flowers alternating with large geometric friezes. This beautiful ewer would have been produced in France, perhaps in Marseille, as a gift to the dey of Algiers in the 18th century. It was part of the collection of Henry-René d'Allemagne, who was an ironmonger, archivist librarian, historian and insatiable collector in a wide variety of fields, some of which he helped to make better known. He published works on many subjects, including playing cards and metalwork. Many pieces from his Oriental art collection are now in international institutions. His apartment included a vast Oriental salon with many antique architectural elements, and his collection of Islamic art objects. Family tradition had it that this ewer was produced for the Dey of Algiers. The catalog of the German collection specifies "Marseille pour l'Algérie".