Biblical interest - A George III silver mounted coconut cup, London circa 1790 by Thomas Phipps and Edward Robinson

The spreading pedestal circular foot with reeded edge and knop. Engraved to the foot with contemporaneous initials SMK in flourished cursive script. The coconut section with an upper mount engraved to carry on the chip carved decoration to the body of three circles. The first with a scene of Noah’s ark, a tree with signs for Asia, Europe and Africa, also NOAH, two oxen and two figures carrying a box, all with ARMENIA below, the circle with inscription ‘IИ The Mountains of Ararat * The Manner How The Whole Earth * (leading to the next circle * Was * Peopled By Noah And His Descendants After The Flood. The second circle showing Noah and his wife with the animals being led of the ark two by two. The third circle showing a pastiche of 18^th century society with workers tenements, men with wheelbarrows and an overseer with his staff, a sun in splendour in the sky above a tree with two birds growing both a thistle and a rose. Marked with maker’s mark only to rim mount and underside of foot.

Height – 18.3 cm / 7.25 inches