Covered Beaker thumbnail 1
Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Silver, Room 69, The Whiteley Galleries

Covered Beaker

ca. 1650-1675 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This lidded beaker from Nuremberg reflects the European passion for floral and botanical ornament in the 17th century, and the particular appeal of the tulip. Brightly coloured tulips first imported from Turkey fascinated Europeans who cultivated hundreds of varieties. ‘Tulipomania’ reached extraordinary heights in Holland in the 1630s, when a single bulb could be exchanged for “a new carriage, two grey horses and a complete harness”. Here not only the embossed (hammered) designs on the beaker's lid and body feature this flower, but the three feet are also in the shape of tulips heads!


Object details

Category
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Cups
  • Cover of a Cup
Materials and techniques
Silver, parcel-gilt
Brief description
Silver, parcel-gilt, Nuremberg, Germany, mark, SBF, possibly a member of the Fearn family.
Physical description
Raised cylindrical beaker, with floral baroque ornament on 3 tulip head feet. The lid with a flower finial. Inside gilt.
Gallery label
COVERED BEAKER Silver, parcel-gilt Nuremberg, Germany Maker's mark SBF, possibly for a member of the Fearn family Hildburgh Gift M.22-1954(26/11/2002)
Credit line
Given by Dr W.L. Hildburgh
Object history
Acquisition RF: 54/993. Dr WL Hildburgh FSA Gift
Production
Family of goldsmiths
Summary
This lidded beaker from Nuremberg reflects the European passion for floral and botanical ornament in the 17th century, and the particular appeal of the tulip. Brightly coloured tulips first imported from Turkey fascinated Europeans who cultivated hundreds of varieties. ‘Tulipomania’ reached extraordinary heights in Holland in the 1630s, when a single bulb could be exchanged for “a new carriage, two grey horses and a complete harness”. Here not only the embossed (hammered) designs on the beaker's lid and body feature this flower, but the three feet are also in the shape of tulips heads!
Bibliographic reference
Oman, Charles, German Domestic Silver 1618-1700, Victoria and Albert Museum, pg.17, 1967
Collection
Accession number
M.22&A-1954

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Record createdFebruary 9, 2004
Record URL
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