The Hope Cup. A magnificent gold, enamel and hardstone vase, Jean-Valentin Morel, Paris, 1855, made for the Exposition Universelle

the bloodstone body carved in the form of a nautilus shell cup, the richly-gilt spout carved in matted bloodstone as Medusa’s head, her hair formed of four venomous snakes, their twirling bodies enamelled in translucent dark green, silvery blue and dark blue over scale engine-turning, the head flanked by colourfully-enamelled wings, the surrounding openwork gilt-metal mount enamelled with stylised tulips around enamel cabochons, embellished with two large c-scrolls interlaced with two bands in high relief, decorated with a turquoise enamel bead border, the spout mount to the interior of the bowl terminating in strapwork around a translucent red enamel cabochon, fluted top within opaque white enamel border;

a blond putto holding a gold-veined pale blue enamel globe seated on each side of the top rim, their legs crossed over a white enamel banner inscribed with the Hope family motto reading ‘At spes non fracta,’ the top of the vase applied with a gold-coloured cloud to one side, supporting the majestic pale blue and grey enamelled Pegasus, dashing forward under the command of Perseus, armed with the polished shield of Athena, Medusa's reflection represented in bright enamel colours, the steel-blue tip of his outstretched gold lance in his right hand, leaning forward in his gilt enamel harness, wearing the invisibility cap and Hermes' winged sandals decorated in translucent dark green cloisonné enamel, ready to attack the sea monster Cetus clutching on to the hardstone ground with spread gold claws, hissing at Perseus with its jaw wide open, revealing a forked gold tongue, the head and body enamelled in the most unusual blues and pale greens with dark pink dots, the spiky wings transitioning from translucent red to dark blue on the exterior, and opaque pastel yellow, pale blue, mint green and flesh colour to the interior of the wings;

the tail wildly twirling towards the bloodstone stem of the vase, boldly carved as rockery, to which Andromeda is tied in gold chains, modelled in the round, below her six nereids with elaborately enamelled gold-scaled tails, probably lamenting the looming death of the sea monster achieved by the enamelled figure of Perseus on the opposite side of the stem, holding the decapitated and painfully distorted head of Medusa in his left hand and a gold sword in his right, the nereids on the lower tier partially covered by an undulating green enamel foliage of fern and seaweed, on an oval silver-gilt foot applied with enamelled silver strapwork of remarkable scale, including opaque white enamel scrolls decorated with green vine leaves and stylised pea pods in earlier style, around four classical masks in high relief, the male ones enamelled in the colours of the rainbow with a dark blue and white beard, the female masks as gold-haired creatures with rosy cheeks, their foreheads decorated with a dark green jewel ornament, signed and dated: Morel, 1855,

65cm., 25 1/2in. high; overall weight circa 16kg