Antique 1914 Sterling Silver Cherub Vanity Jar | Reynolds Angels | W.J. Myatt Birmingham | Edwardian Style Glass Pot

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Product: 8455508
  • Product: 8455508
  • Product: 8455508
  • Product: 8455508
  • Product: 8455508
  • Product: 8455508
  • Product: 8455508

  • Antique 1914 Sterling Silver Cherub Vanity Jar | Reynolds Angels | W.J. Myatt Birmingham | Edwardian Style Glass Pot

  • £125.00

:  at  £125.00  each

A beautiful little piece of English silver history, dating to 1914. This charming antique dressing table jar combines a delicately patterned clear glass body with an embossed sterling silver lid depicting five cherubic faces, traditionally known as Reynolds' Angels. Although small, the detail in the silverwork is wonderful, with each little face captured in relief, surrounded by soft wings and flowing hair. The story behind the angels The decoration was inspired by Sir Joshua Reynolds' celebrated painting A Child's Portrait in Different Views: Angel's Heads, created between 1786 and 1787. Rather wonderfully, the five angelic faces are actually studies of the same little girl, Frances Isabella Gordon, daughter of Lord William Gordon. Reynolds depicted her from five different angles, creating one of his most recognisable and much-loved compositions. The design subsequently became a popular decorative motif in English silverwork, particularly on dressing table accessories during the late Victorian and Edwardian periods. The silversmith The lid bears the marks of W.J. Myatt & Co, a Birmingham firm established by William James Myatt in 1895. Originally working in electroplated wares, the company registered its silver mark at the Birmingham Assay Office and became known for producing attractive silver-mounted dressing table accessories and decorative pieces. The hallmarks identify the lid as English sterling silver, dated 1914, during the reign of George V. Measurements - Silver lid diameter: approximately 3 cm - Glass body diameter: approximately 4 cm - Overall height: approximately 3.5 cm Condition Antique condition with visible age-related tarnishing, patina and surface wear to the silver, particularly around the lid's rim and recessed decoration. The silver retains lovely definition in the cherubic faces, while the clear glass body features an attractive decorative pattern. Please study the photographs carefully, as they form part of the description. A lovely little survivor Originally intended for a dressing table, perhaps to hold a small quantity of powder, cream or other personal treasures, this tiny jar would now make a delightful addition to an antique silver collection, a vintage vanity display or a collection of decorative glass. A particularly appealing piece for anyone who appreciates antique silver, cherub imagery or objects with a little art history behind them.