Large Silver Wine Cooler Decorated With Historical Battle Scenes. C. F.

LARGE SILVER WINE COOLER DECORATED WITH HISTORICAL BATTLE SCENES. C. F. SCHMEDDING. AUGSBURG, GERMANY. TURN OF THE 19TH AND 20TH CENTURIES

Monumental cylindrical silver wine cooler, featuring two large cast side handles, crafted by the firm C. F. Schmedding in Augsburg at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Crafted from 800-thousandths silver, this piece is distinguished by the virtuosity of its chasing and repoussé work, the richness of its sculptural reliefs, and an ambitious historical decorative program—characteristic of the finest German silversmithing of the historicist era.

The body of the piece is adorned with two large high-relief compositions depicting battle scenes arranged in a continuous frieze, populated by infantrymen, cavalrymen, standard-bearers, and military commanders. The meticulous rendering of the armor, weapons, horse tack, and landscape elements attests to the remarkable craftsmanship of the chasers and sculptors who worked on this piece.

The reliefs are accompanied by the inscriptions “Schlacht im Teutoburger Wald” and “Sarazenenschlacht,” as well as the notations “nach Rethel” and “nach Fr. Gunkel,” indicating that the compositions are inspired by the works of the great German historical painters Alfred Rethel and Friedrich Gunkel. The “Schlacht im Teutoburger Wald” scene reproduces Friedrich Gunkel’s famous monumental painting, “Die Hermannsschlacht,” depicting the victory of the Germanic tribes led by Arminius over the Roman legions in the Teutoburg Forest.

The upper part of the body is encircled by a wide relief frieze composed of vine branches, grape clusters, pomegranates, apples, pears, and other fruits—traditional symbols of abundance and wine culture. The lower portion is highlighted by a stylized frieze of repeating petals that reinforces the monumentality of the silhouette. The two solid, cast handles, richly decorated with plant motifs, blend harmoniously into the overall design of the work.

The wine cooler retains its original removable metal inner liner, which is entirely gilded on the inside. This type of insert was traditionally intended to protect the vessel while cooling and serving wines and champagnes.

This piece belongs to the most prestigious category of ceremonial table silverware, intended for the reception rooms of grand private residences, palaces, aristocratic circles, and luxury hotels.

Hallmarks: Manufacturer’s mark “C. F. SCHMEDDING”; indication of place of manufacture “AUGSBURG”; official hallmark of the German Empire depicting the crescent moon and the imperial crown; fineness mark “800”; the inscription “HANDARBEIT,” attesting to entirely handcrafted production; circular workshop mark “1921.”

Dimensions: Height 28 cm. Width including handles 38 cm. Diameter 26 cm.

Weight: 2,086 g, excluding the removable inner container.

Condition: Good collector’s condition.

Provenance: Private European collection.

ID-ANTQ-16499