Fine workmanship and excellence in design were not confined to the work of Parisian goldsmiths; Toulouse was also a productive center of goldsmithing in eighteenth-century France. The artisans in the provinces did not merely copy those of Paris but were creative in their own right, with regard to both form and ornament. The goldsmiths of Toulouse were especially adept at interpreting Rococo ornament at its most exuberant. The zoomorphic dolphin handle is finely pierced to catch light and underscore the malleability of the precious metal.
Marking: [1] B between 2 grains de remède, SAM/SON, a rose below (maker's mark) [2] Crowned M (charge mark for large work, jurisdiction of Toulouse, 1768-74) [3] T O L, a fleur-de-lis between 2 grains above, a Q between 2 grains below (Toulouse warden's mark, 1771) [4] Horse's head (discharge mark for large work, jurisdiction of Toulouse, 1768-74) [5] Crab (restricted warranty mark for silver, French provinces, 1838-79)
Location of marks: [1]-[4] on base [5] on rim of cover, on lip and foot
William D. Mitchell (until 1921; bequeathed to MMA)