Drinking horn and cover - with figures of griffin and mermaid

The base is a cast gryphon figure, holding a shield. On the cover is a statue of a siren with a harp. The gryphon is holding an escutcheon set in a cartouche richly decorated with emeralds, garnets, turquoises and colour beads, with the engraved representation of the coats-of-arms of the English Royal House of Stuart. This original coat-of-arms is covered by a silver plate of similar form and size, with niello decoration, representing the ducal coat-of-arms of the Palatine Pal Esterhazy, which was later — between 1687 and 1693 — added to the object. The only known source of the origin of the work is in the 8th January 1693 inventory of the Esterhazy family: "Ungula Griphi cum Syrena Psalterium tenente, ac Insignibus Esterasiansis, quae fuit Caroli condam Angliae Regis Ao 1638" (OL The Archive of the Ducal Line of the Esterhazy Family. Rep. 8. Fasc. C. No. 37. NB / 1. p. 28. No. 24. — the interpretation of Mihaly Detshy ) The mention of the date possibly refers to when the object came into the possession of the Palatine Miklos Esterhazy (1582—1645) — although it was not recorded in the 1645 inventory of Frakno. It might have been a gift from Charles, King of England. The circumstances of the donation are not known however. The object is written down in several of the inventories of the Esterhazy treasury — for example in that of 1725: — "Egy vörös bürrel boritott Tokban Levo Ezüstben foglalt aranyos Griff korom, Mellyen Meltosagos Groff Eszterhasz Familia Czimere vagyon kovekkel ki rakva foldelestül." "A gilt Griphon claw in silver setting, in a red leather case, with the coat-of-arms of the Esterhazy family set with precious stones, with a cover". (Inventarium Thesauri Fraknensis Anno 1725. Almarium Sub. Nris. 35 et 36. Nro. 3- — Inventory of the Museum of Applied Arts 236/1957). This detail of the inventory is published and identified with the object. The first known written mention of the object is in the testament of Pal Esterhazy (1635—1713) from 1664.: "...az minemo ezüst miuem uagyon... arrol szabad dispositiot is tehetek, kihoz kepest ... az Grifmadar kormot ... Mikloska Fiamnak hagyom..." "...a free disposition of my silvers... the Griphon claw I leave to my son, Mikloska..." (The Archive of the Ducal Line of the Esterhazy Family P. 108. Rep. 4.Fasc. C. No. 53. p. 6.). The mark on the rim of the lip was identified by M. Rosenberg with the certification mark of the goldsmith’s guild of Brno used before 1646. But in the details there is no similarity between the two marks, so this opinion is not acceptable. The mark is hardly perceptible and is presently not identified. It is sure, however that it is not a city mark, but a master's mark, identifying the yet unknown master of the work.