Western Europe, probably England or France, Neoclassical Period, ca. early 19th century CE. A beautiful champagne whisk or cocktail stirrer made from a tube of rose gold with a textured exterior surface. Inside the body is a retractable whisk with a spherical tip and six wire arms that gently expand when the cylindrical slider is moved towards the bottom. The top of the whisk is surmounted by a hand-carved onyx head of a Nubian male with a narrow visage and a coarse coiffure stylized in a manner reminiscent of classic Roman depictions of Nubian individuals. Champagne whisks like this were used to gradually lessen the amount of carbonation bubbles in the drink or incorporate the ingredients of a top-shelf cocktail. Size: 3.625" L (9.2 cm); 5.5" L (14 cm) when whisk is fully extended; quality of rose gold: 41%; total weight: 7.1 grams.
Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010
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#159427
Condition
Intact and choice with smooth surfaces. Whisk articulates smoothly within housing.