A large early 17^th century German silver gilt tankard, Augsburg 1600-1610 by Paul Hübner (b. 1550, meister 1583, d. 1614)

of cylindrical form upon a spreading domed foot with moulded edge, the moulded C scroll handle terminating in a shaped shield shape cartouche leading to a hinged step domed lid raised by a cast ribbed scroll thumbpiece, the centre of lid with an applied lamb with a central band. The body and lid with textured ‘snakeskin’ decoration. Marked underneath with town mark (probably Seling 29) and maker’s mark PH ligatured in a circle (Seling 982) and assay scrape (tremolierstich) underneath and to interior of lid. Later marked to the underside with 1806-07 Austrian duty mark (repunzierung) also to the underside (obscured) and to the right of handle with Austrian 1809-10 FR tax mark (notstempel-frei, freistempel).

Height – 19.9 cm / 7.8 inches

Length (across handle) – 21 cm / 8.25 inches (approx)

Weight – 1248 grams / 40.12 ozt

Sold as Paulus Hoschel, Augsburg circa 1650, Sotheby's, Geneva, 'European Silver', 18 November 1991, Lot 204