Cup
1662-1673 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This two-handled cup may have been used for drinking wine or water or as a dish for sweetmeats. The decorative character and size of the cup suggest that it could have just as feasibly been ornamental. The shell motifs were very popular in the mid 17th century, a period when princely Cabinets of Curiosities included shells among other marvels of nature.
The foot appears to be a later replacement and bears the engraved name 'Aviez' (possibly the name of the goldsmith responsible for the adaptation).
The foot appears to be a later replacement and bears the engraved name 'Aviez' (possibly the name of the goldsmith responsible for the adaptation).
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silver, raised, chased and embossed |
| Brief description | silver, Mexico (marked with town, duty and assay master or maker's marks), 1662 - before 1673 |
| Physical description | Silver, two-handled and footed bowl with an oval rim, formed of three stepped rows of embossed scallop shells. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | Three worn marks stamped on outer rim of cup:
a tower-like castle by a river in an oval-shaped punch - duty mark for Mexico-Tenochtilan
? a column - Mexico town mark
the letter 'R' with the number ?8 (or letter 'o') above - possibly the assayer or the maker's mark. |
| Gallery label | Silver Gallery:
This two-handled cup may have been used for drinking wine or water or as a dish for sweetmeats. The decorative character and size of this cup suggest it could have just as feasibly been ornamental. The shell motifs were very popular in the mid-17th century, a period when princely Cabinets of Curiosities included shells among other marvels of nature.
The foot appears to be a later replacement and bears the engraved name 'Aviez' (possibly the name of the goldsmith responsible for the adaptation).(26/11/2002) |
| Credit line | Dr W.L. Hildburgh Bequest |
| Object history | This type of vessel was one of the most common forms of drinking cup in Spain and Spanish America throughout the seventeenth century, and was known as a 'bernegal'. They usually stood on a footed salver. The Museum acquisition file for this object is Acquisition RF: 55/4478A. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | This two-handled cup may have been used for drinking wine or water or as a dish for sweetmeats. The decorative character and size of the cup suggest that it could have just as feasibly been ornamental. The shell motifs were very popular in the mid 17th century, a period when princely Cabinets of Curiosities included shells among other marvels of nature. The foot appears to be a later replacement and bears the engraved name 'Aviez' (possibly the name of the goldsmith responsible for the adaptation). |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.292-1956 |
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| Record created | February 9, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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