Hamburg 1673/74. Maker's mark Johann Timme.

Silver, chased, chiseled and substantially fire-gilt. On three spherical feet, designed as pomegranates. Two cast handles. Slightly convex lid, decorated with three pomegranates. Chased decoration, featuring blossoming branches and birds.

H 20 cm. D (without handles) 24 cm. 2,120 g.

Provenance:
- Edmund J. Kratz Kunsthandel, Hamburg 1992.
- Hamburg private collection.

This goldsmith's work by Johann Timme can be classified as a type of brandy- or wedding bowl. It is magnificently decorated with a chased pomegranates and other flora- and fauna-related motifs. The underside of the bowl depicts the essential features of the German coat-of-arms of the Imperial Prince Grigory Potemkin (1739-1791), the confidant and long-time lover of the Russian Tsarina, Catherine the Great (1729-1796).

In March 1776, Potemkin was appointed Prince of the Holy Roman Empire by the Habsburg Emperor, Joseph II. It is possible that this bowl was presented to him as a gift for his appointment as Prince of the German Empire. Small deviations in Potemkin's coat-of-arms can probably be attributed to the fact that the engraver had received the order before Potemkin was appointed Imperial Prince.