Beaker, gilded silver, stamped and engraved, Germany (Wesel), maker's mark CBL, ca.1600

Beaker is raised in one piece, profiled foot with stamped decoration soldered over lower edge and protudes below it, decoration of moresques and three heads in roundels at lip are engraved.

Purchase


This is an example of one of the rare instances where silversmithing forms are derived those of the glass-maker. The prototype of this beaker is the glass generally called a ‘Romer’ in German inventories and which is known from the end of the 15th century and developed throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. The ‘prunts’ on the lower half of the beaker and the cusp with pellet decoration are both derived from forms which tend much more naturally out of the techniques of handling molten glass, than of silversmithing. The type of ‘Romer’ to which this is approximated is that of the 16th century, for in the 17th century the proportions alter: the prunted section growing shorter and the upper section flaring out at a wider angle; in addition the cusped foot is replaced by a simple profiled moulding.
The maker’s mark CBL shows that the attribution by Scheffer to the late 17th century master Christoffel Tho. Bucop is wrong.
Check Still Life illustrations for similar glass shapes.

Wesel, in the Rhineland, Germany. Maker's mark CBL, unidentified

This is an example of one of the rare occasions when a goldsmith has been inspired by a glass-maker. The prototype of this Rhineland beaker is a glass drinking vessel generally called a ‘romer’ in German inventories. Romers are recorded from the end of the 15th century and the design was developed throughout the 16th and 17th centuries. This beaker takes after a 16th century example. The raised knobs (called ‘prunts’) on the lower half of the beaker are inspired by decoration which forms naturally out of the techniques of handling molten glass.

4688-1858