Urn with Cover, Figure on Spigot, Stand and Fuel Lamp
Decorative Arts and Design
Although the two protective falcons, attributes of the god Horus, on the burner are archaeologically correct, the winged-goddess spigot wears the nemes, a headdress that was associated only with male deities and pharaohs. The winged putto on the body of the urn is a classical figure from Greek and Roman mythology. This free mixing of elements from different cultures and times is typical of the eclectic taste of the nineteenth century.
MEDIUM
Sterling silver, ivory
DATES
ca. 1875
DIMENSIONS
Overall height of unit: 20 13/16 in. (52.9 cm)
(a) Urn: height 12 1/2 x diameter of base 5 1/2 in. (31.8 x 14 cm)
(a-b) Urn with cover: height 15 3/4 x diam. of top 4 5/8 in. (40 x 11.7 cm)
(b) Cover: height 3 13/16 x diam. 4 3/4 in. (9.7 x 12.1 cm)
(c) Spigot Finial: height 2 1/4 in. (5.7 cm)
(d) Stand: height 5 3/8 x diam. of top 5 1/2 in. (
(show scale)
MARKINGS
(1) On bottom of urn stamped in oval: "J.E.CALDWELL & Co. / ENGLISH STERLING" with "PHILADELPHIA / 197"
(2) Small hieroglyph under masks on handles: standing bird inside an oval
SIGNATURE
nno signature
INSCRIPTIONS
Engraved on side of urn within lozenge framed by palmettes: "M.A.C."
ACCESSION NUMBER
75.164.1a-e
CREDIT LINE
H. Randolph Lever Fund
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
J. E. Caldwell & Co. (founded 1839). Urn with Cover, Figure on Spigot, Stand and Fuel Lamp, ca. 1875. Sterling silver, ivory, Overall height of unit: 20 13/16 in. (52.9 cm). Brooklyn Museum, H. Randolph Lever Fund, 75.164.1a-e. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 75.164.1a-e_Design_scan_bw.jpg)
IMAGE
overall, 75.164.1a-e_Design_scan_bw.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph
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RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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Who was J.E. Caldwell?
James Emmot Caldwell (1813 - 1881) was an American designer and master silversmith. He was born and educated in New York, but later moved to Philadelphia where, in 1839, he founded the firm J.E. Caldwell and Co. The company exhibited their designs at the 1878 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia.
Please explain the iconography on this urn.
The first big waves of interest in Egyptian art and culture in the West can be traced back to Napoleon's Egyptian campaign. This urn comes from the latter half of the 19th century, when the opera Aida, set in the Old Kingdom, inspired many New York designers. It also includes many classical motifs and is a part of the broader taste for eclecticism in the 19th century.
