The Dolphin
A white over ruby cameo dolphin with a spiral body and silver tail cap, the body carries the registration number 18109, which, together with 18108, was taken out by the silversmith Samuel Mordon & Co., for “Shape of perfume bottle” . It is unclear if this registration is for the silver fish tail cap, which could fit various shaped bodies, or the actual dolphin body.
The design of the bottle has been attributed by the International Perfume Bottle Association (IBPA) to Daniel Pearce at Thomas Webb & Sons.
There is no documentary evidence available to substantiate this claim. However, a remarkably similar sketch, associated with Palissy ceramic items, does appear in a Frederick Carder sketch book from 1883 made at the Louvre Museum, Paris. Carder’s sketch books are known to contain inspirational sketches for items he had created at Stevens & Williams. (see image gallery below).
S&W Pattern records
