A German silver glass cooler, probably Philipp Heggenauer, Augsburg, 1711-1715

lion masks and drop ring handles, lion paw feet

Associtate Literature:
Michael Clayton, The collector's dictionary of silver and gold, Woodbridge, 1971, p.249
Lorenz Seelig et al. Silber und Gold..., Bavarian National Museum, Feb-May 1994, pp.329-331

Maker's mark not perfectly struck hence 'probably Philipp Heggenauer', small bruise above one foot but not serious and little dents to wavy rim, but general condition good for this rare glass cooler.
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The wine glass cooler, (Kühlwanne, Verrière) appears to be a late 17^th century invention made to accompany the wine fountain and wine cooler as part of the increasingly grand display plate or silver furniture of kings, princes and ambassadors of this period.  Glass cups could be hung from their circular bases in the notches at the rim, the bowls cooling in the icy water below.  An example is recorded in the diary of Anthony Wood of 1683 which implies the newness of the model `This Year in the summer-time came up a vessel or basin notched at the brim to let drinking vessels hang there by the foot…’  In Britain the item became known as a Monteith, being associated with a monsieur Monteigh and therefore may have originated in France as did so much in the world of courtly splendour.  The London Gazette of  8-11 January 1705 records the theft of what appears to be Ambassadorial plate  (made to be impressive at `foreign’ courts) which included `a large Monteith with the Queens arms’.  A pair of these glass coolers, similarly on lion supports with lion mask and drop ring handles made by Alrecht Biller in Augsburg 1695-1698,  are recorded in an engraving of 1703 of the silver buffet of the newly created King in Prussia, Frederick I, elector of Brandenburg.

The Goldsmith Philipp Heggenauer is attributed to have made the mirrors of the Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel silver furniture, purchased by King George II, Elector of Hanover and which are now at Schloss Marienburg, near Hanover in Germany.