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Geelong Wine Growers Cup & Kitz Silver Collar

The 1862, Geelong District Wine Growers sterling silver cup and Australian silver collar the collar attributed to Louis Kitz, (1820-1887), Geelong; the cup with maker's mark Daniel and Charles Houle, London, circa 1859, the two handled cup with an ogee body, bearing the inscription 'Presented to / Louis Kitz Esqr / by the / wine growers of the Geelong District / in token of their esteem / for his laudable exertions in promoting the / colonial wine trade / Geelong Jany. 24th 1862,' richly embossed with a pastoral scene, the two sectional collar comprising chased and stippled overlapping vine leaves and graves, centred by a cartouche bearing an identical inscription to the body, the cup 780grs. Total weight of silver, 11.02 in. high; the collar 290grs. Total weight, each section measuring 4.33 in. wide, 5.12 in. high (irregular). History: Johann Louis Kitz (1820-1887), was one of a generation of German craftsman who immigrated to Australia at the time of the first gold rush in the second half of the 19th century. Born in Hanau, Kitz trained as a watchmaker and later worked as a watchmaker Regent Street, London, where he was appointed watchmaker to an English railway Company. However, little is known of Kitz's work after his arrival in Australia. Contemporary Geelong newspaper advertisements between 1853-1868 indicate that he was active as a manufacturing jeweller during this period. An 1864, advertisement in the Geelong Advertiser announcing the closure of his jewellery business, marks the time from which point Kitz transferred his business interests almost solely into the wine trade, purchasing the Ceres vineyard and focusing on the sale and promotion of Geelong wines. The silver collar on the cup presented here work is thought to be only the second known example of Kitz's work, the other being the Sir William - Beckett. While unmarked, both the English silver cup and collar bear a detailed inscription to Kitz in his later capacity as a wine merchant. According to professor Richard A.J O'hair, it is recorded in two newspaper articles that at a dinner meeting of the Vignerons of Geelong, Kitz was presented with a silver cup of his own manufacture in recognition of his service to the colonial wine industry. While the cup itself is of English manufacture, the fitted collar is attributed to Kitz. Reference: Houstone, J., O'Hair, R.A.J O'Hair and O'Hair, C.S, 'Louis Kitz: a newly identified Australian Goldsmith and Silversmith', Australiana, May 2008 Vol. 30 No. 2, pp 33-38

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  • Embossed / Repousse - Embossing, also known as repousse, is the technique of decorating metal with raised designs, by pressing or beating out the design from the reverse side of the object.It is the opposite of chasing, where the decoration is applied from the front. An embossed or repoussed object may have chasing applied to finish off the design.
  • Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
  • Chasing - The method of decorating gold and silver objects using a punch and hammer so that the design appears in relief. Flat or surface chasing is done from the front giving the item definition, but not cutting into the metal.

    Chasing is the opposite technique to repousse, but an object that has repousse work, may then have chasing applied to create a finished piece.
  • Sterling Silver - Sterling silver is a mixture of 92.5% pure silver and 7.5% of another metal, usually copper. Fine silver is 99.9% pure silver, and is relatively soft and the addition of the very small amount of copper gives the metal enough strength and hardness to be worked into jewellery, decorative and household objects.
  • Attributed - A cataloguing term where the item in the opinion of the cataloguers, is a of the period of the artist, craftsman or designer, and which probably in whole or part is the work of that person.
  • Cartouche - An ornamental panel in the form of of a shield, oval or rectangular scroll with curling edges. It may be carved into the back of a chair or the top of a sideboard, or present on a piece of silver or jewellery, and contain the initials of the original owner, heraldic symbols, or some other inscription, such as the details of a presentation.

    In ceramics the term defines the central area of a vase or similar with a decorative border in one of the shapes above, into which a decorative scene or figures have been painted.

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The 1862, Geelong District Wine Growers sterling silver cup and…