A Louis XVI late 18^th century French provincial silver beaker, Orleans 1787 by Louis Sionnest (1743-1811)

Of inverted bell form upon a domed foot with a gadrooned band. The body cut card and chased work with figural scenes depicting figures at tables either smoking, drinking libations or pouring wine from a jug, all held withing naturally formed cartouches and between applied girdles. The undersection with similar fruiting wine chased cut card work. The side engraved with a coat of arms between lion rampant supporters surmounted by a Count’s coronet. The foot rim engraved Anne Chanpod between trefoil devices. Marked underneath with town mark (R crowned), makers mark L.S and date mark (Tête de Pucelle). 959 standard.

Height – 12.9 cm / 5 inches

Weight – 193 grams / 6.21 ozt

Sionnest born in 1743 to master silversmith of Neven, Robert Sionnest and Anne Marie Nettre. Married 9^th July 1770 Marie-Therese Dufrensne (d.1803). In 1782 he takes Vincent Methivier as an apprentice. At the time of his death he was a prosperous silversmith who owned the house in the Rue Royale, five bedrooms, sitting room with two games tables and three dining tables, a billiard table on the second floor, also a country house in the town of Saint-Jean-le-Blane as well as a vineyard called Arche des Chapelains.

A plain beaker (timbale tulipe en argent) of 1780-82 by the same maker was sold Christie’s Paris, 30/31 Jan 2007, lot 774 (€720 incl. premium).