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

Bottle

1600-1625 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The material covering this bottle is possibly dried leather or a composition of ground up sea-shells. The enamel plaques are distinctly Spanish, although similar pieces have also been noted in Germany.

This objects, which is one of a pair (M.288A&C-1956) offers a glimpse of the collecting activities of Walter Leo Hildburgh. The Museum’s early acquisitions of European silver in the 19th century relied heavily on important sales of private collections. During the early 20th century however the Museum was able to shape the collections more deliberately by influencing Hildburgh’s prolific collecting. Hildburgh travelled widely on buying expeditions, usually recording when and where he bought something, but not (frustratingly for posterity) from whom. He added over 500 objects to the collection either as gifts to the Museum or as part of his bequest.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silver-gilt
Brief description
Pewter
Physical description
Rectangular pewter bottle covered with composition (TS & SL: leather?), with short tubular, silver-gilt neck and ring plug, the corners reinforced with silver-gilt scrollwork, the sides with nielloed silver plaques
Dimensions
  • Height: 14.80cm
  • Length: 6.30cm
  • Width: 6.30cm
Credit line
Dr W.L. Hildburgh Bequest
Object history
Acquisition RF: 55/4478A
Dr WL Hildburgh FSA Bequest
Summary
The material covering this bottle is possibly dried leather or a composition of ground up sea-shells. The enamel plaques are distinctly Spanish, although similar pieces have also been noted in Germany.

This objects, which is one of a pair (M.288A&C-1956) offers a glimpse of the collecting activities of Walter Leo Hildburgh. The Museum’s early acquisitions of European silver in the 19th century relied heavily on important sales of private collections. During the early 20th century however the Museum was able to shape the collections more deliberately by influencing Hildburgh’s prolific collecting. Hildburgh travelled widely on buying expeditions, usually recording when and where he bought something, but not (frustratingly for posterity) from whom. He added over 500 objects to the collection either as gifts to the Museum or as part of his bequest.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
M.288-1956

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Record createdFebruary 9, 2004
Record URL
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