Casgliadau Arlein

Andiron, sterling silver with iron log-rest, a cast figure of Cleopatra standing in contrapposto with a snake round her left hand reaching to her right breast on a square pedestal comprising a flat top, sides formed from overlapping cast acanthus leaves, a bar across the centre with two bolts by which it is attached to the base section, the latter of double-volute profile supported on two cast lion’s paw feet with anthemion upper terminals, at each side of the top surface riveted a set of three cast acanthus leaves overlying a single larger chased acanthus leaf, the sides chased with large acanthus leaves in the lower section, the front panel elaborately chased with scrolling acanthus and palm leaves and flowers with pronounced scrolls above the feet and at top left and right, enclosed at the top a female mask with two long plaited pigtails, below this a convex oval cartouche bordered by a laurel wreath and engraved with the arms of Russell impaling Russell for Admiral Edward Russell and his second wife, his cousin, Lady Margaret Russell. An iron frame bolted to the back with two pegs which locate into the forked front end of the log-rest, which is also forked at the foot of the back leg and has an added central leg.