Asparagus Shell

Wedgwood

1780/90

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Small vinaigrette in the form of a fish of a bass type with gray-green scales and red fins, the middle opens up to reveal a small container covered with a pierced lid of gilt silver, with additional gilt silver mounts and eye attached to the nose for hanging.
Large rectangular tablet, originally from a mantelpiece, of buff-colored stoneware (artificial stone or Coade stone) decorated in high relief with a bacchanalian scene featuring scantily-clad bacchantes holding water and wine vessels aloft, a flaming torch and ax, a wreath, a faun's head and baskets, with a ram and small putti at their feet, one of which carries a thyrsus, the staff associated with Bacchus and his followers, to the right is a putti satyr and a putti riding on the back of a ram and blowing a horn.
Baluster-shaped pipe head of white jasper with dark blue jasper dip and white bas relief of Venus and Cupid; the Bourbonnais Shepherd; and an unidentified classical scene with white banding and leafy vine and acanthus motifs, with silver reservoir, or drain plug, attached with a small nub of cork to a knotty wood stem and slender mouthpiece.
Heavily decorated, pear-shaped silver caster on round foot with reeded rim that is engraved with shell motifs, crosshatching and stippled ground, the lower body with engraved foliate motifs between four chased strapwork panels that terminate at the shoulder in winged cherub masks, the upper body likewise with four strapwork panels, between these are engraved scrolling motifs and a stippled ground, the tall, dome-like cover with six pierced panels comprised either of scrollwork or quatrefoils, the finial urn-shaped with ball tip.