CHRISTOFLE : COMPETITION OF THE AGRICULTURE PRIZE OF 1887 Silvered bronze vase, signed in one of the two medallions by the sculptor Ferdinand LEVILLAIN. On the second medallion is engraved the name of the prizewinner: Ministry of Agriculture, Regional Agricultural Competition of Angers 1895: VITICULTURE, Mr René Oger BASCHER at La Fresnay - Commune of Saint Aubin de Luigné. The vase, of baluster form, rests on a square quadripod base. The theme of the decoration, inspired by antiquity and enhanced in the lower part by a ram's head in bas-relief, depicts characters around the symbolism of wine. In a medallion a woman is picking grapes, the man is treading them in a barrel. Model number on the reverse 1660387 and on the perimeter in English letters : CHRISTOFLE & Cie. Height : 30,5 cm - diameter of the neck : 13,5 cm From 1870 onwards, the agricultural prizes were the subject of a competition organized every seven years, in which the great goldsmiths participated. In 1887, Christofle presented twenty projects, sixteen of which were selected. The model of the vase of the vineyard that we present was made by Ferdinand LEVILLAIN (1837 - 1905). A photo of this vase is reproduced in the third volume of Henri Bouilhet, L'orfèvrerie française aux XVIIIe et XIXe siècles, page 187