Strasbourg, 1774, Georges-frederic Imlin, Solid Silver Oil Set With Carafes

Solid silver oil and vinegar set — Strasbourg, 1774, attributed to Georges-Frédéric Imlin

Elegant Louis XV-era oil and vinegar set in solid silver, accompanied by two cut and engraved glass carafes with their silver stoppers.

The tray, with its undulating contours and molded border, rests on four volute feet. Its two openwork side handles are adorned with foliage and shell motifs. The decanter holders feature a rich openwork design of rocaille motifs, knotted ribbons, and branches: grapevines laden with bunches of grapes for the vinegar, and olive branches laden with olives for the oil.

The depiction of olive branches bearing fruit is particularly rare on antique oil cruets, whose decoration is generally limited to vine leaves and bunches of grapes. Here, the two contents are distinguished by a plant motif that is also found on the stoppers: vine leaves and grapes for one, olive leaves and olives for the other.

The two baluster-shaped carafes feature a handle and a spout; their bodies are adorned with floral and geometric motifs. A tall, openwork knob rises from the center. Two stopper holders with plant motifs provide a place to set the stoppers during service.

The set bears the IMLIN silversmith’s mark, the crowned “13,” corresponding to a fineness of 13 loths, or 812.5/1000, and the crowned letter “Y” from Strasbourg, indicating the year 1774. Based on the family chronology, it is attributed to Georges-Frédéric Imlin, born in 1727 and admitted as a master in 1751, the only member of the family still active as a master silversmith at that time.

This design is characteristic of 18th-century Strasbourg goldsmithing. An oil cruet of very similar design, also dated 1774 and made by Nathanaël Jacob Horning, is housed at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Strasbourg. In particular, it features a similar base, legs, and carafe holders, with variations in the stoppers and the central design.

Condition: The handles of both carafes show breaks that have been repaired over time; they are therefore not intact.

Dimensions: length 34 cm; width 14 cm; height 26 cm.
Weight: 820 g.

Comparative reference: Two Centuries of Goldsmithing in Strasbourg. 18th–19th Centuries in the Collections of the Museum of Decorative Arts, Les Musées de Strasbourg, 2004, entry no. 67, inventory XXIII.58.