Carved coconut cup and cover mounted in silver, with finial in the form of a woman, Dordrecht, 1576

Standing cup of coconut mounted in 4 vertical straps of silver, the coconut carved with scenes, the foot and lid embossed, the stem with an inverted baluster knop, finial cast in the form of a woman.

The shell dated and carved with the initials GH. Coconut, an exotic rarity in the 16th century, was much prized when mounted in silver. The shells were often intricately carved, as here with Old Testamant scenes from the Bible. The mounts are intricately chased and etched with fashionable Mannerist ornament. The original label gives this as "probably English".
See The Gilbert Collection of Gold and Silver, Timothy Schroder, LACMA, 1988, p500 for similar German cup, silver-gilt, around 1580.
TS: much shallower carving than on 2117-1855. Prefiguration scenes: top row are scenes from the New Testament, the bottom row are corresponding stories from the Old Testament, eg. The Entombment above Jonah and the Whale

Neg no.: 4213, Z 1272; 7758; 58141

The coconut is signed and dated 'GH 1576' and is elaborately carved with Biblical scenes reflecting the belief that the key events in Christ's life were all prefigured by events in the Old Testament. The upper register depicts the New Testament scenes from the Passion and the lower the corresponding events from the Old Testament. For instance, the scene of the Entombment of Christ is above that of Jonah and the Whale.

4893:1, 2-1858