Water Pump and Trough Cigar Cutter, Unknown maker, marked “K&S,” Hamburg, Germany, ca. 1860, Sterling silver and wood, Height: 6.5 in. (16.5 cm)
This extraordinary cigar cutter takes the whimsical form of a miniature water pump mounted on a salver base with cast bracket feet. The upright cylindrical pump is crowned with a gracefully curved handle and fitted with a lion’s-head spout, a classical symbol of strength and refinement. Beside it rests a rectangular silver trough with a bark-textured surface, enhancing the rustic illusion. Ingeniously designed, the pump’s lever activates a concealed blade within, allowing cigars to be trimmed with both precision and flourish. Marked “K&S” and likely produced in Hamburg around 1860, the piece reflects the 19th-century fascination with novelty objects that merged technical ingenuity with playful artistry. Such fanciful items enlivened the parlors and smoking rooms of elite European households, embodying both the ritual importance of smoking and the Victorian delight in mechanical devices disguised as sculpture.
