Historical information
The Silver Standing Cup was made by Ernest Leviny c1860 and presented to Mr Charles Abraham Saint, editor of the Mount Alexander Mail newspaper, by the town's citizens on his departure from Castlemaine on 31 December 1863.
Mount Alexander Mail report; 23 January 1864.
This substantial silver centrepiece was the second masterpiece created by Ernest Leviny around 1859. It is decorated with highly detailed cast figures, fine embossing and chasing. This work of Australian Colonial significance reflects Leviny's rich European artistic background which he successfully merged with new Australian motifs, which epitomise the great wealth, ambition and pride at that time in the emerging, young Colony of Victoria.
Physical description
Semi matt surface albumen print mounted on cream coloured card with border around image drawn in pencil.
Albumen photograph of Silver Standing Cup (Eperne). Elaborate silver cup, with lid highly decorated with cast figures, etc.
Inscriptions & markings
Handwritten in pencil under image: I.1 'Photo Davies & Co' I.r 'Melbourne
Subjects
References
- Ernest Leviny (1818-1905): Colonial Silversmith & Jeweller This is the story of Ernest Leviny, Hungarian silversmith and jeweller, who lived and worked in Budapest, Paris and London before coming to the goldfields of Victoria in 1853 and settling in Castlemaine. Leviny left his mark as a colonial silversmith of note, creating two masterpieces: the Gold Inkstand on a Redgum base and the Silver Standing Cup (now in the National Gallery of Victoria Collection , Melbourne). From 1863 Leviny developed his Villa home, Buda, set in 3 acres (1.2 hectares) of garden where he and his wife, Bertha Hudson, raised a family of ten children.
