An important Silver Gilt Mounted Claret Jug made by the Royal firm

The baluster shaded and frosted glass body has a knopped stem and spreading foot. The cast naturalistic handle is formed as a vine branch with textured surface and is applied with tendrils on the inner side, rising to a bifurcated top with two pendant branches descending to support the finely chased collar of fruiting vines. The plain hinged lid has a domed centre capped by a bunch of grapes within four random vine leaves. The lower end of the handle has trifurcated branches, two spreading around the widest part of the glass and with wonderful matching fruiting vines to the collar. The third branch descends to the bottom of the ovoid body as a further support just above the knop. The base has a plain edge surmounted by another cast band of vine leaves and grapes. The outer edge of the base inscribed: "G.D. Neroutso to G. Psycha Esq". The underside stamped "Mortimer and Hunt" and with pattern number "532". This piece is in most outstanding condition and is marked in no less than seven different places. It is a “Tour De Force” of design and production. Height: 14.5 inches. Diameter at the widest point: 6.5 inches. THE ROYAL SILVERSMITHS JOHN MORTIMER & JOHN SMUEEL HUNT. The partnership of Mortimer & Hunt descended from the Paul Storr Firm. Chronology of the firm: Storr & Co. (1819-22), Storr & Mortimer (1822-1838), Hunt & Mortimer (1839-1843), Hunt & Roskell (1843-1897) acquired by J.W. Benson 1889, Hunt & Roskell Ltd. (1897-c.1965). J.S. Hunt was admitted into the partnership, but the firm continued as Storr & Mortimer until Storr’s retirement on 31 st December 1838. Trading thereafter as Hunt & Mortimer, the partners were John Samuel Hunt, his son John Hunt, both of whom, representing the firm, are recorded at 17 (26) Harrison Street, Gray’s Inn Road, and John Mortimer. Upon the latter’s retirement on 26 th December 1843, the style of the firm was changed to Hunt & Roskell, listed at 156 New Bond Street and at their manufactory at 26 Harrison Street, as silversmiths and jewellers to her Majesty. The crown above their maker’s mark denotes their Royal appointment. PROVENANCE The Inscription has an all Greek connection. George Demetrius Neroutso (1818-1876) was a Greek born merchant who resided at Woodlands, Bowden in Cheshire and traded in Manchester, Trieste and Cairo. George Panteleon Psycha, sometimes Psicha, (1836-1889) was also a Smyrna born Greek merchant trading in cotton and was a partner in Ralli and Psicha of Liverpool. Neroutso was an Athenian aristocrat who came to England and established a shipping business and was also a mill owner. He was educated at Princeton where one of his visiting professors was the poet Henry Longfellow. In 1856 George married Mary Elizabeth Jones, the granddaughter of a welsh lord of the Barony of Dinorben. Cyril was one of nine children, born in 1868 he was orphaned at the age of 13 when both parents and a younger brother died in Morocco due to an outbreak of the Plague. Their headstone still survives in Marakech. Mary was born at Chester in 1836 and died along with George in 1878. George Psycha or Psicha was born on 3rd November 1836 and in the 1871 census was living at 38 Beech Street, West Derby. He was described as a merchant in Egyptian cotton; his wife Zemplia was born in Syros. As mentioned above he was a partner in Ralli and Psicha and the Ralli family were one of the biggest shipping firms with branches around Europe, most of them in the Mediterranean. They were based at 14 Brunswick Buildings in Liverpool. George was also an investor in the Bank of Alexandria Ltd.. He lived at 28 Linnet lane, Sefton Park, Liverpool after moving from West Derby. In the 1850's Greek merchants largely controlled trade between Liverpool and the Eastern Mediterranean. St. P. Schilizzi & Co., the largest operator of both Greek and English brokers was the Liverpool branch of Ralli Brothers circa 1850.

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