Beschreibung:

THE ALTENSTETTER SERVICE AN UNIQUE GERMAN RENAISSANCE BASSE-TAILLE ENAMELLED SILVER AND PARCEL-GILT BANQUETING SERVICE OF TWELVE KNIVES, TWELVE SPOONS, TWELVE SWEETMEAT-FORKS AND THREE SALT-CELLARS The unmarked knives each signed either D.A.F or D.A.F. for David Altenstetter fecit and one dated twice 1615, the spoons and forks, maker's mark of David Altenstetter Augsburg, 1615-17, the salt-cellars, maker's mark possibly HZ in monogram, perhaps for Hieronymus Zainer, Augsburg, 1590-95, the enamel attributed to David Altenstetter Each piece enamelled in bright translucent colours comprising: a) Twelve table-knives with tapering handles of slightly shaped rectangular section with silver-gilt moulded borders and terminals of trefoil form with winged cherub's bust and scrolls to front and back, the silver handles enamelled with various urns, festoons, scrolling foliage, tassels and as follows: 1) one side with a trotting horse, the other with a figure of Father Time blowing a trumpet, signed D.A.F , 2) one side with a monkey with bag-pipes, the other with a grotesque figure blowing a musical instrument, signed D.A.F. , 3) one side with a seated stag, the other with an exotic figure playing a violin to a snail with a dragonfly on his shoulder, signed D.A.F , 4) one side with a bird with wings outstretched, the other with a musical trophy, signed D.A.F. , 5) one side with a seated spaniel, the other with trophy-of-arms, signed D.A.F. , 6) one side with musical trophy, the other with a baboon, signed D.A.F. , 7) one side with a monkey blowing a musical instrument, the other with a running squirrel, signed D.A.F. , 8) one side with a vase of flowers and two butterflies, the other with a dancing bear, signed D.A.F. , 9) one side with a musical trophy, the other with crouching monkey wearing a cloak, signed D.A.F. , 10) one side with a winged dragon holding a snail with its claw, the other with a basket of flowers, signed D.A.F. , 11) one side with a military trophy and a bat, the other with a squirrel eating a nut, signed D.A.F. , 12) one side with a parrot, dated 1615, the other with an urn containing flowers, signed D.A.F. and dated 1615. the narrow side panels with foliage, flowers, husks and geometric ornament, the pointed steel blades each stamped with a cutler's mark of (?) an antler, one differing. Overall length approx. 9¼ in. (23.5 cm.) b & c) Twelve spoons with silver-gilt rat-tailed bowls and twelve sweetmeat-forks each with two silver-gilt prongs, with similar silver-gilt borders and terminals to the preceding, the silver handles of rectangular section, the front and back panels with similar motifs to the narrow side panels of the knives, the narrow side panels variously decorated with running scrolls, geometric ornament and foliage, the spoons marked on either side of the rat-tail, the sweetmeat-forks on the sloping shoulders. The spoons 7¼ in. (18.5 cm.), the forks 6¾in. (17cm.) long. d) Three square salt-cellars, each with silver-gilt moulded border to the base, upper border, corner pilasters and central circular well, the border to the well enamelled at the angles with four winged cherubs' busts two with six and one with three feather head-dresses, the four side panels variously enamelled with scrolling foliage, drapery, scrolls and as follows: 1) each of the panels with central cluster of varying fruits flanked by exotic birds, two with snails and two with dragonflies above, 2) two of the panels with similar central cluster of varying fruit flanked by exotic birds with butterflies above, the two other panels with musical trophies flanked by varying exotic birds, 3) each of the panels with central cluster of fruit, one flanked by winged dragons, one with rearing horses bedecked with saddlecloths, another with differing dragons and the forth with leaping stags. Each marked underneath . 2 7/8 in. (6.6 cm.) square All in late 18th Century brass-mounted, gilt-tooled and velvet-lined fitted leather