Silver, English

This set of three decanter stoppers illustrate the three stages of winemaking; harvesting, treading and decanting. A young figure of a boy is shown performing the respective stages of work in winemaking on a base with a decorative motif of grapevines and a Bacchanalian head.

Bought from Smith and Nicholson, 24 September 1864, for £6.6.0
Stoppers of this design were first made for Summerley Art Manufactures, a company set up by Henry Cole, the first director of the V&A. Following the recommendations of the 1835 Parliamentary Select Committee on the need for good design in industry, Cole aimed to produce affordable objects decorated with "appropriate details relating to …use". Although scarcely an original idea, the statuettes of wine-harvesting cherubs are clearly highly appropriate for wine vessels. Summerley's was wound up in 1849 after production difficulties, but Smith and Nicholson continued to make these popular patterns, which the Museum bought from them in 1864 for £6.6 shillings.

Summerly Art Manufacturers

The decoration of a cherub harvesting wine tells us this piece was a stopper for a wine decanter. Stoppers of this design were first made for Summerley Art Manufactures, a company set up by Henry Cole before he became the first director of the V&A.

Following the recommendations of the 1835 Parliamentary Select Committee on the need for good design in industry, Cole aimed to produce affordable objects decorated with ‘appropriate details relating to …use’. After Summerley's was wound up in 1849, Smith & Nicholson continued to make these popular patterns, which the Museum bought from them in 1864 for £6 6s (£6.60p).

795-1864