Silver, embossed and chased, Spain (possibly Zaragoza?), 1600-1650

Silver vessel, vase-shaped, the body chased with strapwork; low moulded foot. Broken scroll handle with ring.

Dr W.L. Hildburgh Bequest

Nothing is known of the early history of this piece, which was bequeathed to the Museum in 1955 by the collector and V&A benefactor Dr Walter Leo Hildburgh. The centre of the bowl shows signs of wear and repair; there is a crack visible on the underside of the foot. Charles Oman dated the bucket to the 'early 17th century' in his catalogue of Hispanic silver in the V&A, and gave its provenance as 'Spain'. The scrolling, strapwork ornament incorporates foliage motifs and small shells; the background is punched with lines of dots. Similar scrolls and punched decoration appear on a dish in the Hernández-Mora Zapata collection, and the motif of dots punched round the border of oval cartouches appears on a salver in the Alorda Derksen collection. The dish is from Zaragoza, around 1648; the salver is tentatively attributed to Andalusia, between 1600-1635. A perfume burner in the V&A, M.21-1966, also has similar strapwork ornament embossed around the base.

M.389-1956