Bowl thumbnail 1
Not currently on display at the V&A

Bowl

Bowl
1490-1500 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unidentified
Place of origin
Lisbon

Silver-gilt with an engraved silver plaque set in the centre of the bowl, the plaque has traces of enamel. The base of the bowl has worn away completely at 6 o'clock; at 12 o'clock the wear has been repaired with solder. The silver plaque set in centre is engraved with the scene of the Annunciation. Embossed figures of deer, birds and wildmen around the rim.


Object details

Object type
Bowl
TitleBowl (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Silver and gilded silver; raising, embossing, chasing, matting, engraving and enamelling.
Silver
Enamel
Embossing
Chasing
Enamelling
Engraving
Gilding
Matting
Brief description
Silver and gilded silver with traces of enamel, Portugal (Lisbon), 1490-1500, unidentified ?maker's marks, 'DI' and 'IO'.
Physical description
Silver-gilt with an engraved silver plaque set in the centre of the bowl, the plaque has traces of enamel. The base of the bowl has worn away completely at 6 o'clock; at 12 o'clock the wear has been repaired with solder. The silver plaque set in centre is engraved with the scene of the Annunciation. Embossed figures of deer, birds and wildmen around the rim.
Dimensions
  • Across the rim of the bowl diameter: 21.5cm (maximum (rim of bowl is slightly distorted))
  • Base of foot to rim of bowl height: 3.5cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • Latin, on engraved plaque set into the centre of the bowl: 'AVE * MARIA'
    Translation
    'Hail Mary'.
  • In the centre of the underside of the bowl: Long, neat, assay scrape. Three marks: The letters 'DI' in majuscule, in a rectangular punch, unidentified. Town mark of Lisbon, a ship with two ravens in a shield-shaped punch. The letters 'IO' in majuscule, in a rectangular punch, unidentified. This area of the reverse of the dish also has traces of trial circular punch marks (circular punch marks used extensively in decoration of the front of the bowl) and scratched symbols and letters, difficult to interpret, among them an asterisk and the letters 'I O V'.
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • Oman, Charles. The Golden Age of Hispanic Silver 1400-1665. London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1968.
  • Vassallo e Silva, Nuno. Portuguese Ceremonial Silver, 15th and 16th Century. Lisbon: Scribe, 2012. ISBN 97898984102425
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
7544-1861

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Record createdJune 24, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O378630/bowl-bowl-unidentified/
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