Beschreibung:

AN ITALIAN RENAISSANCE SILVER-GILT TAZZA WITH A FIGURE OF THE ROMAN EMPEROR NERO Circa 1560-1570, apparently unmarked except for 19th Century French control marks The central figure modelled and cast wearing a crown of laurel and parade armour with lion mask pauldrons, enriched with finely pounced foliate scrolls, one arm raised in salute with clenched fist, his left hand gripping a short sword by its scabbard, the cloak secured by two threaded clasps to his shoulders, decorated with a bold foliate pattern, the base engraved *NERO*, on detachable pedestal with lobed gadroons, the circular shallow bowl embossed and superbly chased with four scenes from the life of the Roman Emperor Augustus, (1) The Seige and the Battle of Mutina , (2) The Battle of Actium , (3) Augustus closing the Temple of Janus and (4) The Triumph of Augustus ; the quadrants separated by fluted columns on pedestals decorated with lobes and within an outer border formed by imbricated disks, around the central well a raised band of double linked guilloche , engraved *Z*, the underside with a separate support plate, also repoussé with a raised band of double linked guilloche , secured to the urn-shaped baluster shaft, supported on a gently curved stem and circular convex foot, cast and chased with lobed gadroons alternating with flutes within matted channels, with French nineteenth-century import and export marks on foot, the gilding 1ater (some alterations and repairs) 16¼ in. (41.5 cm.) high; 14¾ in. (37.7 cm.) diam. Weight 91 oz. (2,844 gr.)