Beaker thumbnail 1
Beaker thumbnail 2
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Silver, Room 65, The Whiteley Galleries

Beaker

1706-1707 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

A beaker is a drinking vessel with no handle, stem or foot. This one is part of a long tradition of silver-mounted animal horns used for drinking. Here the maker has used ox horn, taking advantage of the horn's natural shape. The inscription on the silver mount reads 'This was part of the great ox's horn', suggesting that it may have been made from an animal which was famous in the area.

Silver featured in all aspects of a gentleman’s daily life, from the morning toilet to an evening at his club. Personal silver was commonly engraved with armorials or a crest, a name or initials. The less affluent would aspire to a few small pieces of silver, perhaps a pair of shoe buckles, a snuff box and a watch.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Horn with silver mounts
Brief description
Beaker, horn with silver mounts. England, possibly London, 1706-7
Physical description
Drinking goblet, ox horn mounted in silver with inscription
Dimensions
  • Height: 7.5cm
  • Length: 4.75cm
  • Weight: 35.9g
  • Weight: 1.15troy
Marks and inscriptions
  • Date letter for 1706-7
  • Inscribed: THIS WAS PART OF THE GREAT OX'S HORN
Gallery label
OX HORN BEAKER Silver-mounted ox horn 1706-7 Engraved: THIS WAS PART OF THE GREAT OX'S HORN. Rev. R. Brooke Gift 917-1864(26/11/2004)
Credit line
Given by the Rev. R. Brooke
Object history
Gift - Rev. R Brooke
Acquisition RF: Rev. R Brooke
Summary
A beaker is a drinking vessel with no handle, stem or foot. This one is part of a long tradition of silver-mounted animal horns used for drinking. Here the maker has used ox horn, taking advantage of the horn's natural shape. The inscription on the silver mount reads 'This was part of the great ox's horn', suggesting that it may have been made from an animal which was famous in the area.

Silver featured in all aspects of a gentleman’s daily life, from the morning toilet to an evening at his club. Personal silver was commonly engraved with armorials or a crest, a name or initials. The less affluent would aspire to a few small pieces of silver, perhaps a pair of shoe buckles, a snuff box and a watch.
Collection
Accession number
917-1864

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Record createdSeptember 10, 2004
Record URL
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