German Nuremberg Renaissance Cast Bronze Wine Tap
A Rare Large German Nuremberg Renaissance Cast Bronze Wine Tap
The spout modelled with the head of a dolphin or fish, the spigot sculpted as a young mermaid or Nereid, her long hair braided a bunch of grapes hanging from the rounded handle
Dark brown patina
Second half 16th Century
Size: 20cm high, 5.5cm wide, 31cm deep – 8 ins high, 2¼ ins wide, 12¼ ins deep
42cm high – 16½ ins high (including stand)
The spout modelled with the head of a dolphin or fish, the spigot sculpted as a young mermaid or Nereid, her long hair braided a bunch of grapes hanging from the rounded handle
Dark brown patina
Second half 16th Century
Size: 20cm high, 5.5cm wide, 31cm deep – 8 ins high, 2¼ ins wide, 12¼ ins deep
42cm high – 16½ ins high (including stand)
During the Renaissance aromatic spiced and sweetened wines were drunk in quantity throughout the day everywhere in Europe. One of the most favoured was called Hippocras, both red and white wine which was sweetened with honey or sugar candy and spices such as nutmeg and cloves. In 1576 George Cascoyne in his 'A Delicate Diet' disparagingly wrote 'Yea wine of it selfe is not sufficient but sugar, limons and sundry sortes of spices must be drowned therein. To minister mater unto our vaine delights and to be quite ourselves with the baite which dronkennesse doth therein lay for us.'
German Nuremberg Renaissance Cast Bronze Wine Tap
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