407: A NORWEGIAN PLIQUE A JOUR AND SILVER BOWL SIGNED HAMMER

The bulbous Norwegian silver vessel with horse head surmounts is built by hand in elaborate openwork floral motifs and decorative bands sculpted from silver stock and filled with jewel-tone glass enamels in the technique plique a jour - French for 'letting in daylight.' The circular base of solid silver is embellished in blue guilloche enamel on the inside and stamped with the maker's initials MH on the underside along with the hallmark for Marius Hammer and the Norwegian silver standard stamp of 830s.
Measures 4 x 6.25 x 4 inches.
Good condition, noting areas of crazed and fine line cracked flower heads as well as two additional flower heads with loss of enamel and crazing, as shown in the images.
Provenance: The collection of Josephine Bird Hall (1888 - 1948) by descent to her son, the present owner. Josephine's father was a founder of Kansas City's Emery, Bird, Thayer Department Store.
$400 - $600