Ewer, glass, Venice, late 16th century; body moulded with band of two lions around centre; body rests on knop and metal-mounted bell-foot; trefoil mouth on neck with arched opalescent handle ornamented throughout with spiralling bands of plain white and filigree. Height: 27 centimetres. Bequeathed by Felix Slade. S.664. British Museum. © Trustees of the British Museum.

Compare a very similar vase in form, moulding, size and decoration in Cremona, Museo Civico, illustrated in Ciappi 2006, no. 17 which has a frieze of moulded birds and may be from the same Murano workshop. Interesting with regard to Aretino's letter of 1531 discussing all'antica glass forms realised by best Veneitan glassmakers, requesting Giovanni da Udine to provide designs.Compare also example in Liege and S 941 here. DFT

Another similar vase moulded with dragons, vetro a retorti, sold at Christie's December 6th 2012, lot 141.

Bibliography: Tait, Hugh, The Golden Age of Venetian Glass, London, British Museum, BMP, 1979
Higgott, Suzanne, The Wallace Collection Catalogue of Glass and Enamels, London, Wallace Collection, 2011
Ciappi, Silvia, Il Vetro in Europa, Milan, ELecta, 2006
Nesbitt, A, Catalogue of the Collection of Glass formed by Felix Slade, London, 1871