JOHN TONGUE. An extremely rare Castle Top Vinaigrette made in Birmingham in 1844 by John Tongue.
JOHN TONGUE. An extremely rare Castle Top Vinaigrette made in Birmingham in 1844 by John Tongue.
374802
This very rare Vinaigrette is broad rectangular in form and both the sides and base are decorated with engine turned engraving, within raised foliate borders. The base is also centred by a shield shaped cartouche containing a set of contemporary script initials. The castle top cover displays a crisp, rare, raised scene, in high relief, of Windsor Castle from the West with the Round Tower in a three dimentional effect. Windsor was a popular view on Vinaigrettes, however, this is one of the rarest views of this subject and a similar example, by Nathaniel Mills, of the same date, is shown in Eric Delieb's, "Investing in Silver", page 115. The interior is well marked and finely gilded and the grille is beautifully pierced and engraved with pluming scrolls and a vase of flowers. John Tongue was an exceptionally fine box maker, working in the circle of Nathaniel Mills during this period.
Length: 1.5 inches, 3.75 cm.
Width: 1.1 inches, 2.75 cm.
Depth: 0.4 inches, 1 cm.
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