Bowl
early 17th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
The basin is made from the shell of the marine snail Turbo marmoratus and set in silver-gilt mounts.
History
The mother-of-pearl was assembled in Gujarat, western India, in the early 17th century and the basin was then mounted in London . Gujarat was the centre of production of a wide range of decorative objects decorated with or made from mother-or-pearl. These were made for both the domestic market and for a regular export trade to the Middle East, Ottoman Turkey, Indonesia and Europe.
Design
Mother-of-pearl was one of the curious, exotic materials so highly prized in Renaissance courts. They were mounted in appropriately rich and fashionable settings of gold or silver-gilt. These luxurious objects were intended for display, in collectors' cabinets or on sideboard arrangements.
Materials & Making
The snail shell was carved to remove the hard outer layer and reveal the lustrous mother-of-pearl layers underneath. These layers were finely sliced into thin plaques and assembled. The centre of the bowl was made up of flat plaques to form a rosette, probably derived from the lotus flower motif. The sides were made from curved plaques. The plaques were pinned together with fine nails.
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The basin is made from the shell of the marine snail Turbo marmoratus and set in silver-gilt mounts.
History
The mother-of-pearl was assembled in Gujarat, western India, in the early 17th century and the basin was then mounted in London . Gujarat was the centre of production of a wide range of decorative objects decorated with or made from mother-or-pearl. These were made for both the domestic market and for a regular export trade to the Middle East, Ottoman Turkey, Indonesia and Europe.
Design
Mother-of-pearl was one of the curious, exotic materials so highly prized in Renaissance courts. They were mounted in appropriately rich and fashionable settings of gold or silver-gilt. These luxurious objects were intended for display, in collectors' cabinets or on sideboard arrangements.
Materials & Making
The snail shell was carved to remove the hard outer layer and reveal the lustrous mother-of-pearl layers underneath. These layers were finely sliced into thin plaques and assembled. The centre of the bowl was made up of flat plaques to form a rosette, probably derived from the lotus flower motif. The sides were made from curved plaques. The plaques were pinned together with fine nails.
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Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Mother-of-pearl, with silver gilt mounts |
| Brief description | Mother-of-Pearl Bowl |
| Physical description | Mother-of-pearl bowl |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | Maker's mark: a trefoil slipped in a shaped shield |
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
The bowl may have been used for sweetmeats but was primarily for display. At this period, mother-of-pearl came mainly from the shell of a marine snail which lived only in the Western Pacific. It was therefore rare and exotic and was often mounted in gold and silver.(27/03/2003) |
| Credit line | Bequeathed by Mrs Hannah Gubbay |
| Object history | The bowl made in Gujarat (Western India); the gilded silver mounts added in London. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Object Type The basin is made from the shell of the marine snail Turbo marmoratus and set in silver-gilt mounts. History The mother-of-pearl was assembled in Gujarat, western India, in the early 17th century and the basin was then mounted in London . Gujarat was the centre of production of a wide range of decorative objects decorated with or made from mother-or-pearl. These were made for both the domestic market and for a regular export trade to the Middle East, Ottoman Turkey, Indonesia and Europe. Design Mother-of-pearl was one of the curious, exotic materials so highly prized in Renaissance courts. They were mounted in appropriately rich and fashionable settings of gold or silver-gilt. These luxurious objects were intended for display, in collectors' cabinets or on sideboard arrangements. Materials & Making The snail shell was carved to remove the hard outer layer and reveal the lustrous mother-of-pearl layers underneath. These layers were finely sliced into thin plaques and assembled. The centre of the bowl was made up of flat plaques to form a rosette, probably derived from the lotus flower motif. The sides were made from curved plaques. The plaques were pinned together with fine nails. %F dim_unit |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.17-1968 |
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| Record created | May 4, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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