-40%
Pair Sterling 950 PREITO MEXICO ARTISAN FOOTED COVERED URNS RARE /SEE PROVENANCE
Pair Sterling 950 PREITO MEXICO ARTISAN FOOTED COVERED URNS RARE /SEE PROVENANCE
Pair Sterling 950 PREITO MEXICO ARTISAN FOOTED COVERED URNS RARE /SEE PROVENANCE
Pair Sterling 950 PREITO MEXICO ARTISAN FOOTED COVERED URNS RARE /SEE PROVENANCE
Pair Sterling 950 PREITO MEXICO ARTISAN FOOTED COVERED URNS RARE /SEE PROVENANCE
Pair Sterling 950 PREITO MEXICO ARTISAN FOOTED COVERED URNS RARE /SEE PROVENANCE
Pair Sterling 950 PREITO MEXICO ARTISAN FOOTED COVERED URNS RARE /SEE PROVENANCE
Pair Sterling 950 PREITO MEXICO ARTISAN FOOTED COVERED URNS RARE /SEE PROVENANCE
Pair Sterling 950 PREITO MEXICO ARTISAN FOOTED COVERED URNS RARE /SEE PROVENANCE

Pair Sterling 950 PREITO MEXICO ARTISAN FOOTED COVERED URNS RARE /SEE PROVENANCE

$ 1372.8

Availability: 62 in stock
  • Type: covered footed URN
  • Style: Mexico
  • Material: 950 Silver
  • Age: 1930s-1940s
  • Brand: PREITO

    Description

    Pair of impressive signed vintage sterling silver Preito Mexico Footed and Covered Urns circa 1940s. Marked “
    950 PREITO JUAREZ 40 MEXICO
    ”, they are from Casa Preito, a well known and respected silver shop in Mexico City in the mid 20th Century. The urns measure 8 5/8” tall with the lids 7” diameter and the bowls 6” diameter. Total weight of the urns is 1489.5 grams or 47.8 troy ounces. Please read the very interesting provenance. In excellent vintage condition ...one urn shows some use on interior and one lip on one of the lids has a dent along rim. No pitting, cracks or other damage. Stunning. Please read provenance below.
    Provenance:
    This stunning pair of Preito Mexico Sterling Urns was a gift from then (1942-46) Mexican Ambassador George Strausser Messersmith* and his wife Marion Mustard Messersmith to Marion’s brother, Lewis West Mustard and his wife Edith Low Babson Mustard the daughter of famed economist and philanthropist, Roger Ward Babson (see web for more info on Messersmith and Babson). According to Ediths daughter who inherited the urns, they were on display in her mothers dining room for many years.
    *About George Messersmith:
    *George Strausser Messersmith (October 3, 1883 – January 29, 1960) had a long and illustrious career serving as a United States ambassador to Austria, Cuba, Mexico, and Argentina.
    Messersmith also served as head of the US Consulate in Germany from 1930 to 1934, during the rise of the Nazi Party. Messersmith became an early and ardent opponent of Nazism, was hated by Hitler and spent much time urging his diplomatic counterparts to abandon appeasement.
    Messersmith was best known in his day for his controversial decision to issue a visa to Albert Einstein to travel to the United States. He is also known today for his diplomatic handling of friend, King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson, later Duke and Duchess of Windsor in the turbulent era before World War II. During Messersmiths time as Minister to Austria (nominated by president Franklin Rossevelt) Messersmith often socialized with the Duke & Duchess. Later during their honeymoon in Vienna
    Austria after the Kings
    addication (he famously gave up his thone to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.
    ,
    the Duchess confided in him about her bitterness toward the
    hounding
    American media asking for his help in restraining the press. During that time, George then also learned of their connections with the Nazis and Hitler and informed the British authorities... causing many to speculate that the Duke & Duchess were involved in a plot with the Nazis to overthrow the British Crown.