Paris 1883-1911 - Bowl Forming A Centerpiece Planter In Solid Silver By Alphonse Debain

Solid silver bowl, 950/1000 fineness, by master silversmith Alphonse DEBAIN.
Of circular form with a flat base, it features decoration of cartouches, rocaille, scrolls, and foliage. The bowl is supported by three scrolling feet adorned with large foliated clasps. One of the cartouches is engraved with a monogram in English script.

Hallmarks
•    Minerve 1^er titre (French mark for 950/1000 fineness silver)
•    Maker's mark: AD et une bécasse, for Alphonse DEBAIN goldsmith.

Diameter: 22.5 cm.
Net weight: 493 grams.

Condition report:
Very good condition. Very light surface scratches commensurate with age.


Alphonse DEBAIN

Master silversmith in Paris between 1883 and 1911, located at 79 Rue du Temple. He was the grandson of the renowned silversmith François-Alphonse DEBAIN and succeeded Philippe BERTHIER, adopting the woodcock as the symbol in his maker's mark.
He showcased his first creations at the 1889 Paris Exposition Universelle, where he won a gold medal. Following the exhibition, DEBAIN donated twelve forks and spoons to the Union Centrale des Arts Décoratifs (UCAD), exemplifying his technical excellence and the variety of his designs.
At the 1898 Salon, he exhibited a silver bowl with poppies designed by Auguste ARNOUX, which was purchased by the UCAD to feature in its pavilion at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle.

As a jury member at the 1900 Exposition, he was ineligible for competition but displayed his latest Art Nouveau creations. These were presented in a remarkable "silverware chest-cabinet," illustrated in the January 1901 issue of Revue de la Bijouterie, Joaillerie et Orfèvrerie. This collection included an exceptional vermeil teapot with a pumpkin-shaped body and a spout modelled as a snail, now preserved at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.


MUSEUMS AND PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS

•    MUSÉE DES ARTS DÉCORATIFS, PARIS – Teapot, Paris, 1900. Inv. 2021.63.1.
•    CATHÉDRALE NOTRE-DAME DE L’ASSOMPTION, AJACCIO – Pair of candlesticks, silver, Paris, 1883–1911.
•    GRASSI MUSEUM FÜR ANGEWANDTE KUNST, LEIPZIG – Sugar bowl with lid, silver, Paris, c. 1900. Inv. 1901.416 a,b.