An early 19^th century Sicilian (Italian) silver sugar vase, Catania 1819, consul’s mark SFC

The bowl of rounded circular form with a half-fluted base, raised on four caryatid supports formed as twin tailed mermaids, screw fixed to the bowl. The mermaids screw fixed to a square base with incurved sides and a domed centre raised on four ball feet. The sides with screw fixed cast and chased lion masks with opposable beaded ring handle. The upper section with a cavetto edge above a removable beaded ring, the pull off domed lid with a fluted centre surmounted by a detachable finial formed as an artichoke with leafy calyx. Marked to the side of base, underside of bowl and bezel of lid with town mark (elephant A) and SFC19.

Height – 18.7 cm / 7.3 inches

Weight – 631 grams / 20.29 ozt

A hot milk pot marked the same for 1812, also with the same type of finial was sold Christie’s South Kensington, 21 June 2011, lot 80 (£3750 incl. premium)

A Maltese sugar bowl and cover by Saverio Cannataci, with a Sicilian cover with a similarly formed finial was sold Sotheby’s London, 18 July 2007, lot 208 (£1440 incl. premium)