Goblet
1614-1615 (hallmarked)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This silver goblet is decorated with stylised floral and shield panels. Its elegant form and understated engraving is typical of English style in the early 17th century. The design includes a blank shield for a coat of arms. Heraldry, which asserted identity and social status, was a common decoration found on English silver.
This piece is an example of 16th century domestic silver. Such silver was both functional and ornamental. Objects for dining and drinking took elegant forms and were decorated in the latest styles. Beautifully crafted items intended only for display often adopted functional forms such as cups and dishes. Domestic silver was not confined to the most wealthy. Many people owned silver spoons or mounted vessels, items which often became treasured possessions.
Sir Arthur and Rosalinde Gilbert began collecting in the 1960s and over a period of 40 years formed one of the world’s great private collections of decorative arts. The collection consists of over 800 objects from the fields of European gold and silver, Italian mosaics and hardstone, portrait enamels and gold boxes. Sir Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996 to be housed at Somerset House, London, having previously been displayed at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). In 2008 the collection was moved to dedicated galleries in the V&A, where a selection has been on permanent display ever since.
This piece is an example of 16th century domestic silver. Such silver was both functional and ornamental. Objects for dining and drinking took elegant forms and were decorated in the latest styles. Beautifully crafted items intended only for display often adopted functional forms such as cups and dishes. Domestic silver was not confined to the most wealthy. Many people owned silver spoons or mounted vessels, items which often became treasured possessions.
Sir Arthur and Rosalinde Gilbert began collecting in the 1960s and over a period of 40 years formed one of the world’s great private collections of decorative arts. The collection consists of over 800 objects from the fields of European gold and silver, Italian mosaics and hardstone, portrait enamels and gold boxes. Sir Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996 to be housed at Somerset House, London, having previously been displayed at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). In 2008 the collection was moved to dedicated galleries in the V&A, where a selection has been on permanent display ever since.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Engraved silver |
Brief description | Silver goblet; London, 1614-1615 |
Physical description | Silver goblet with a circular foot, baluster stem with three S-scroll brackets, and an octagonal section bowl decorated with alternating panels of stylised floral and overlapping scale and shield decoration. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions |
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Gallery label | (Gallery 70, case1)
5. Goblet engraved with stylised flowers
1614–1615
London, England; maker’s mark a double-headed eagle
Silver
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.580-2008(16/11/2016) |
Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
Summary | This silver goblet is decorated with stylised floral and shield panels. Its elegant form and understated engraving is typical of English style in the early 17th century. The design includes a blank shield for a coat of arms. Heraldry, which asserted identity and social status, was a common decoration found on English silver. This piece is an example of 16th century domestic silver. Such silver was both functional and ornamental. Objects for dining and drinking took elegant forms and were decorated in the latest styles. Beautifully crafted items intended only for display often adopted functional forms such as cups and dishes. Domestic silver was not confined to the most wealthy. Many people owned silver spoons or mounted vessels, items which often became treasured possessions. Sir Arthur and Rosalinde Gilbert began collecting in the 1960s and over a period of 40 years formed one of the world’s great private collections of decorative arts. The collection consists of over 800 objects from the fields of European gold and silver, Italian mosaics and hardstone, portrait enamels and gold boxes. Sir Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996 to be housed at Somerset House, London, having previously been displayed at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA). In 2008 the collection was moved to dedicated galleries in the V&A, where a selection has been on permanent display ever since. |
Bibliographic reference | Schroder, Timothy. The Gilbert Collection of Gold and Silver (Supplement). Los Angeles (Los Angeles County Museum of Art) 1988, Recent Acquistions, cat. no. C. |
Other numbers |
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Collection | |
Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.580-2008 |
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Record created | June 19, 2008 |
Record URL |
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