OATH OF THE HORATII

Silver Server Spoon

                                                                                                     Their right hands are held aloft in a "V" salute while their left hands grab each-others wrist forming a circle.

oath of horatii silver spoon server

I have placed a ruler and a typical tea sized spoon in the picture to help you visualize size.

There is only one small manufacturer mark (e (clock picture) o) in an oval cartouche

I am pretty sure it is good quality silver, but I do not know its origin

My guess is that it is from the 1890's

These finial figures are very well cast on both the front and back.

oath of horatii

I have been told that this is a variation of the Oath of the Horatii

 According to legend, these Roman warriors pledged their lives to each other and they were willing to fight  to the death for the honor of Rome.

The importance of this legend is that over the years, the concept of responsibility under the law is traced to this oath.

There is also a large painting in the Louvre (Paris) by Jacques-Louis David (1784)

which is considered to be an excellent example of  French neo-classical painting

depicting  a Roman legend about a dispute between the cities of Rome and Alba Longa.

Three brothers of the Roman Horatii family agreed to end the war with three brothers from the Curiatii family

David's version was his own invention and depicts the father handing swords to his three sons.

oath of horatii silver spoon

In the bowl there is a little repousse/chased hut with a boat on a lake.

I have been told that this represents the hospital of Dr. Albert Schweitzer in Africa

I have not been able to confirm this opinion at this time

On the nice art nouveau style stem with auricular designs there is a bull depicted

According to legend the bull and its horns are 

'a potent symbol of the expression of male fighting spirit and phallic vitality'

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