The 1880s Hanau Cello: A Virtuoso Repoussé Musical Miniature

Closed: 2 1/2”W x 6 1/2”H x 1 1/2”D  Opened: 4 3/4”W x 6 1/2”H x 1 1/4”D

This exceptional Hanau silver cello is a masterwork of 19th-century German musical miniatures, likely originating from the prestigious workshop of Storck and Sinsheimer. The exterior is enveloped in a virtuosic display of repoussé and chased artistry, featuring pastoral figural scenes and putti framed by dense foliate scrollwork. When opened on its vertical hinge, the interior reveals the intricate reverse-repoussé details of the silver shell, maintaining a consistent and authentic tonal quality throughout the piece. Despite the absence of a visible maker's mark, its high-purity construction and architectural fidelity—complete with a carved scroll, bridge, and wire strings—confirm its status as a premier example of European toy silver. Measuring 6.5 inches in height, this functional curiosity retains a rich, natural patina and character-defining wear to its tuning pegs and strings, marking it as a sophisticated acquisition for the discerning collector of musicalia.

Germany

1874 - 1893