Paul Revere Style Sterling Silver Blue Enamel Bowl by Towle Silversmiths no. 523

VERY FINE PAIR OF ENGLISH SILVERPLATED COBALT GLASS CHESTNUT URNS Marked for Barker-Ellis of Birmingham, England made circa 1912-1931 with maker's mark to underside [seven-branch menorah], signed "England" and impressed "8" along with silversmith's scratched notations Item # 312DPP11Z An exceedingly fine pair of chestnut or candy urns by the renowned silversmithing firm Barker-Ellis of Birmingham, England, the menorah marker's mark was reportedly used by Barker-Ellis starting in 1912 and continued to be in use by the firm through 1931 [see the Smithsonian Museum of American History, acc. no. 1988.0569.07 for a tray of the same marking and documented dates of use]. The present version of the menorah mark is an earlier version of the marking and probably places the pair of urns to circa 1920. The urns feature a carved pineapple finial with exquisitely chiseled and chased leaves over a coved lid, this lifting off to reveal a spacious interior with removable hand-blown cobalt glass...

PAUL EMILE LÉON PERBOYRE French, 1851-1929 Cuirassiers Sharing Wine with Rural Countryman Oil on canvas signed lower left "Perboyre" Item # 309ULM18A A rich historical painting that captures the heart and reality of the Franco-Prussian conflict, the scene depicts a troop of Cuirassiers stopping for the afternoon in a non-descript field in the French countryside. Presumably the owner of the field, an older man has come out in the heat of the afternoon to greet the soldiers with a basket of wine bottles, offering a glass to the officers while chatting casually with them. Perhaps he is a local guide offering a sense of what the soldiers might expect in the rural countryside, but more likely it is simply a moment of reprieve in the idyllic countryside and a distinct juxtaposition to the intensity and drama of Perboyre's battle scenes. The Franco-Prussian War (1870-1871) was the last use of "cuirassiers" in the French army with uniforms characterized by the distinct helmets known as a "casque à crinière" featuring a plume of horsehair. The cuirassiers wore a breastplate (cuirass) and the red trousers were a standard part of the French military uniform...