A SILVER TANKARD WITH A HISTORICAL BATTLE SCENE. JOHN JACKSON. LONDON

A rare English silver tankard from the late Stuart period, of traditional cylindrical form, fitted with a hinged cover, a substantial S-shaped handle and a shaped thumbpiece. The entire surface of the body is embellished with finely executed chased and engraved relief, forming a continuous panoramic composition depicting a military encampment with tents, standard-bearers, trumpeters, infantrymen and fallen soldiers on the battlefield. The battle scene unfolds around the circumference of the vessel as a unified narrative, enhancing the monumentality of the form and demonstrating the exceptional skill of the craftsman. The cover is decorated with an allegorical arrangement of military trophies, including a drum, standards, pikes, halberds, artillery pieces and edged weapons. Executed against a matted ground, the ornament continues the subject of the body and forms a coherent iconographic programme. The interior retains traces of the original gilding. The iconography is probably associated with the English historical military tradition and may refer to episodes from the Wars of the Roses, which culminated in the Battle of Bosworth in 1485 and the accession of the Tudor dynasty. The tankard belongs to a rare group of late seventeenth-century English silver distinguished by elaborate battle imagery, accomplished chasing and a unified artistic conception. Marks: Maker’s mark «IJ», corresponding to John Jackson. London town mark of a crowned leopard’s head. Sterling silver standard mark of a lion passant. Date letter corresponding to 1698–1699. Further marks are present on the cover and structural elements. Dimensions: Height 19.5 cm. Width including handle 22 cm. Diameter of base 14.5 cm. Weight: Approximately 1,020 g. Condition: In good collectible condition. Provenance: Private collection.

Estimate:£1,673.43

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