English Silver-Plated Presentation Epergne, Mark of Thomas Bradbury & Sons

Sheffield, mid 19th century, featuring allover naturalistic grape and vine decoration, with three arms and a center basket, over a pedestal tripod base, engraved "Presented to the Officers / Irish Guards / By Lieut. J. C. Zigomala / 1918"; and engraved with the crest of the order of St. Patrick "QUIS SEPARABIT / MDCCLXXXIII", convertible form, retailed by Mappin & Webb, London, retaining the original chest, with paperwork.

20 3/4 x 18 1/2 in. dia.

The Irish Guards were a regiment in the First World War, established in 1900. They went to France in August 1914 as part of the British Expeditionary Force, fighting in some of the earliest and hardest battles of the war, including Mons, the Marne, and the First Battle of Ypres. Over four years of trench warfare, the Irish Guards earned a reputation for courage, discipline, and endurance. Despite suffering severe losses, they gained numerous battle honors and producing one of the most literary regimental histories, The Irish Guards in the Great War, written by Rudyard Kipling.

Lieutenant John Constantine Zigomala was one of the regiment’s original officers. He joined the 1st Battalion Irish Guards at the war’s outset and served in the 1914 campaign in Flanders.

Not retaining the center crystal bowl and one smaller crystal bowl.