Cup
1608-1609 (hallmarked)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This vessel represents a bunch of grapes. A figure clambers up the tree-trunk stem of the cup, raising his axe to cut the vine. The form is typical of South German goldsmiths' work. The London marks on the present cup, however, suggest that it was either made in England by a German goldsmith, or imported from Germany and marked upon arrival. Either interpretation is possible.
Documentary evidence and survivals show that a substantial amount of German silver came to England in the late-16th and early-17th centuries. Provided that this silver met the higher standard of English sterling silver (92.5 percent pure silver), plate could be assayed and hallmarked upon arrival in England. Records also show that there were a number of German artisans working in London, for as one German visitor commented in 1613 'the goldsmiths in London were [until recently] nearly all Germans' (R. Lightbown, 1970).
This object forms part of the Gilbert Collection. Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
Documentary evidence and survivals show that a substantial amount of German silver came to England in the late-16th and early-17th centuries. Provided that this silver met the higher standard of English sterling silver (92.5 percent pure silver), plate could be assayed and hallmarked upon arrival in England. Records also show that there were a number of German artisans working in London, for as one German visitor commented in 1613 'the goldsmiths in London were [until recently] nearly all Germans' (R. Lightbown, 1970).
This object forms part of the Gilbert Collection. Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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Materials and techniques | Silver-gilt, raised, cast, chased, embossed |
Brief description | Silver-gilt pineapple cup and cover, London, 1608-9 |
Physical description | The body of the cup resembles a bunch of grapes, with the stem taking the appearance of a tree trunk which rests on a spreading circular foot that has a plain, raised centre and is chased around the border with fluting on matted ground. An axe-wielding woodsman clings to the side of the stem. The ovoid body and cover are embossed with imbricated lobes that give the illusion of a bunch of grapes. The cover has an engrailed border and a detachable finial in the shape of a vase of flowers. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions |
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Gallery label | (Gallery 70, case 1)
2. Cup and cover
1608–09
Marked London, England; maker’s mark SW; possibly made in Nuremberg, Germany
Gilded silver
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.533:1, 2-2008
(16/11/2016) |
Credit line | The Rosalinde and Arthur Gilbert Collection on loan to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
Object history | Provenance: The earls Spencer, Althorp, Northamptonshire; This vessel was purchased from S. J. Shrubsole Corporation, New York in 1983. |
Historical context | Cups of this form are known as 'pineapple cups', a traditional German form introduced in centres such as Nuremberg in the late Gothic period. The form remained in use throughout the 16th and 17th century. |
Production | It is possible that the cup was made in Germany and hallmarked in London upon arrival |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | This vessel represents a bunch of grapes. A figure clambers up the tree-trunk stem of the cup, raising his axe to cut the vine. The form is typical of South German goldsmiths' work. The London marks on the present cup, however, suggest that it was either made in England by a German goldsmith, or imported from Germany and marked upon arrival. Either interpretation is possible. Documentary evidence and survivals show that a substantial amount of German silver came to England in the late-16th and early-17th centuries. Provided that this silver met the higher standard of English sterling silver (92.5 percent pure silver), plate could be assayed and hallmarked upon arrival in England. Records also show that there were a number of German artisans working in London, for as one German visitor commented in 1613 'the goldsmiths in London were [until recently] nearly all Germans' (R. Lightbown, 1970). This object forms part of the Gilbert Collection. Sir Arthur Gilbert and his wife Rosalinde formed one of the world's great decorative art collections, including silver, mosaics, enamelled portrait miniatures and gold boxes. Arthur Gilbert donated his extraordinary collection to Britain in 1996. |
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Bibliographic references |
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Other numbers |
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Collection | |
Accession number | LOAN:GILBERT.533:1, 2-2008 |
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Record created | June 26, 2008 |
Record URL |
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