A Victorian silver and silver-gilt novelty mustard pot Thomas William Dee, London 1862 In the form of a gorilla holding a parcel-gilt shot gun, with a hinged head set with glass eyes, opening to reveal a frosted glass liner with silver gilt mount, with a silver gilt mustard spoon in the form of an arrow, height 12.2cm, weight total 11.7oz. Footnotes: A version of the present model without the mustard spoon along with a salt and pepper sold in these rooms, 2nd July 2008 lot 211 This design may be based a story relating to Paul du Chaillu (1837-1903) an American 19th century explorer, who, in 1856 spent three and a half years exploring a large section of the Gabon coast. On his return to New York he wrote the story of his discoveries; 'Explorations and Adventures in Equatorial Africa; with accounts of the manners and customs of the people, and of the chase of the gorilla, crocodile, leopard, elephant, hippopotamus and other animals', published by Harper Bros in 1861. He had been the first white man to see and hunt a gorilla. One story told was of a hunting expedition and a 'Killer Gorilla'. Du Chaillu was out with a group of natives, they split in different directions and after a while he heard the 'tremendous roar of the gorilla.... instinctively we made for the spot.... the poor brave fellow who had gone off alone was lying on the ground in a pool of his own blood...beside him lay his gun, the stock broken, and the barrel bent almost double. In one place it was flattened, and it bore plainly the marks of the gorillas teeth.....this huge gorilla thought the gun was his enemy, so he had seized it and dashed it on the ground...not satisfied, had taken it up again and given it a tremendous bite...' His book was treated with shouts of derision, 'Mr, Mrs & Miss Gorilla' become a common jest and Paul du Chaillu became known as a fanciful storyteller. The only people to defend him were Harper bros and the Royal Geographical Society in the UK. Gradually later explorers confirmed each of his discoveries. For further information on this lot please visit Bonhams.com For further information about this lot please visit the lot listing