19th Century Italian Silver and Crystal Compote Bowl in good condition from a Milanese private collection. This antique Neoclassical covered compote bowl has a very fine hand-chased vegetal decoration and engraving, a lovely cast engraved silver 800/000 finial and shows silver-maker’s mark for Cristoforo Corbella active in the first half of 19th century in Milan, contrada degli Orefici 3194.

This antique silver compote of supreme craftsmanship stands on a three-lobed pedestal base with B L monogram engraved in the central part, features tripod legs decorated with Neoclassical motifs, scrolls, flowers, rosettes supporting a circular upper ring adorned with elegant acanthus leafed piercing.
Engraved crystal cup and a cover finely engraved with geometrical and vegetal pattern, surmounted by a cast gem finial.

The following marks can be seen on the bottom of the foot and the upper edge of the compote, (the original descriptions are reported, as they appear on the documents of the State Archive of Milan):

1) Forma eptagona. Globo col Zodiaco ed i setti (sic) Trioni Heptagon form. Globe with the Zodiac and the seven Trioni (seven stars of the Ursa Major) Mark of the Guarantee Office in use in the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy from 1812 for works with a title of 800 thousandths.

2) Aratro Plow Mark of the Guarantee Office in use in the Napoleonic Kingdom of Italy from 1812.

3) Insegna della Luna Piena, con le cifre CC  Full moon and letters CC Mark of the silversmith Cristoforo Corbella.

Corbella is a renowned Milanese silver maker from the first half of the 19th century and his creations appear in the treasures of many churches and in refined private collections.

Reference bibliography for marks and maker:

Gianguido Sambonet, Gli argenti milanesi: maestri, botteghe e punzoni dal XIV al XIX secolo, Milano 1987, pp 181.

Height: 20 cm
Diameter: 14.2 cm.