Cup and cover in greyish brown agate with ornate, figural silver-gilt mounts set with lapis lazuli

The cup consists of a "bowl" of elongated, inverted and truncated conical form with a vertical, raised band on opposite sides of the exterior wall together with a circular, contoured base both fashioned in greyish brown, sub-translucent agate with distinct banding and having a high polish. The bowl and base are linked via an ornate stem in sliver-gilt depicting two mermen (tritons) supporting the "bowl" on their shoulders, inset with round lapis lazuli cabochons.
The cover consists of a circular, concavo-convex lid with a raised band across the middle, fashioned in greyish brown, sub-translucent agate. The lid is mounted in silver-gilt set with ten round lapis lazuli cabochons and surmounted with two youthful male figures seated either side of a central boss of a lapis lazuli sphere.

Wells Bequest

This cup and cover were acquired by Arthur Wells who was a Nottingham solicitor and Clerk of the Peace. He was a keen traveller and was made a Fellow of the Geographical Society. He is considered to be the first private British collector of Chinese jade and his collection of jade and other hardstone objects from South Asia was on exhibition at the South Kensington Museum at the time of his death in 1882. This collection was left to the museum in his will - the Wells Bequest.

Although assigned to the Indian collections on acquisition in 1992, the metalwork of this piece is of German manufacture. The agate cup and cover together with the associated gemstones have an accuracy to their working which suggests the use of the more industrial tools and workmanship found in Europe rather than the artisanal methods employed in India.

1562&A-1882