Lobed beaker

Lobed beaker
Partially gilded silver
Maker's mark possibly SC or a rebus
London, England
1525-6
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.577-2008
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

This silver beaker is a rare and unusual survival, as relatively little domestic plate remains from the 16th century. It is one of the earliest surviving pieces of hallmarked silver, predated by only one other known example. The decoration on the bowl and foot are not directly comparable to other plate of the period. The proportions are also unusual for a silver beaker, but are similar to German mould-blown glass Waldglas Maigelein cups which can also be wide and low, and usually have a ribbed finish.

Mazer bowl with sacred monogram

Mazer bowl with sacred monogram
Turned maple wood with gilded silver mounts
Probably England
About 1480
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.576-2008
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

This type of shallow, turned wood drinking vessel was a common form in England until the early-16th century. They were often embellished with silver mounts, and some survive which have a similar moulded print in the centre of the bowl. The moulded print would originally have been enamelled, and bears an engraved quatrefoil, surrounded by engraved flowers, with the sacred monogram IHS. The monogram suggests this bowl may have belonged to a religious institution, such as a monastery, or a quasi-religious institution, such as a hospital.

Double cup

Double cup
Gilded silver
Hannss Beutmüller (died 1622)
Nürnberg, Germany
About 1600
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.525-2008
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Double cups, or Doppelpokale, were two identical cups with one turned upside down and placed on top of the other for display. A traditional form from south Germany, they first appeared in the 15th century, and were often made as wedding gifts. As they were such a traditional gift, double cups were less subject to changes in fashion than other types of plate. This helps to explain why this early-17th century example has been made in the gothic style of the early-16th century, despite the emergence of more current styles over the century. The stamped gothic tracery around the feet, and the engraved frieze of scrolling foliage and animals on the lip, however, are typical of this later period, when double cups played a prominent role in the gothic revival.

Coconut cup and cover

Coconut cup and cover
Coconut shell and gilded silver
Maker's mark AV
Lüneburg, Germany
About 1580
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.63:1, 2-2008
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

During the medieval period the coconut was a rare and exotic material thought to possess miraculous powers such as revealing the presence of poison or neutralising its effect. They were highly prized and often embellished with mounts, turning them into drinking cups, reliquaries or other vessels. From the 16th century, trade with the New World meant that coconuts became less of a rarity and their reputation for being miraculous was gradually lost, though their natural properties meant they continued to be used for drinking and pouring vessels. The coconut could be left in its natural state, polished, or as in this case, carved.

As this cup is so beautifully decorated, it was probably made for display rather than use. It is carved with scenes of the Passion of Christ, likely to have been derived from early 16th-century German prints. Decorative elements on the mounts have close parallels to works from Nürnberg and Amsterdam, reflecting the internationalism of the Renaissance goldsmith's craft. The finial of the Virgin Mary is a later addition.

Pair of sconces

Pair of sconces
Paul de Lamerie (1688-1751)
London, England
About 1717
Gilded silver
Museum nos. Loan:Gilbert.715:1 to 7; 716:1 to 7-2008
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Sconces, or wall lights, were a popular form of lighting during the 17th century. Originally they were in the form of single branches attached to brass plates, later made of silver with a polished back plate to reflect the light. By the early 18th century sconces were falling out of fashion in candlesticks and candelabra were favoured instead, possibly due to the growing fashion for draperies, which would have proved a fire hazard with wall-mounted candles.

Sconces such as these, with a narrow, cast backplate, were a Huguenot innovation designed to flank a mirror above a mantelpiece. The sophisticated form of this pair was inspired by the designs of Daniel Marot (1661-1752) and is characteristic of Paul de Lamerie's early independent work. The engraved coat of arms and baron's coronet of the Foley family were added later, either for Thomas Foley (died 1733), his son Thomas (died 1766) or a cousin, Thomas (1716-77).

Soup tureens and stands

Soup tureens and stands
Silver
Paul Storr (1771-1844), probably after a design by Jean-Jacques Boileau (active in England 1787-1851)
London, England 1806-7
Museum nos. Loan:Gilbert.784:1 to 3; 787:1 to 3; 786:1 to 3-2008
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

These tureens, from a set of four, are nearly identical to a set made in 1802-3 for the 'grand service' of the Prince of Wales, later George IV (1762-1830). They are engraved with crest and insignia for Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and King of Hanover (1771-1851).

Decorated in the Neo Egyptian style, these tureens reflect the popularity of Egyptian motifs current in this period. They have been described as 'one of the most magnificent statements in English silver of the neo-Egyptian style and among the grandest of all designs to emerge from the workshops of Rundell, Bridge and Rundell', the royal goldsmiths. It is also thought that Jean-Jacques Boileau (active in England 1787-1851) may have been involved in their design, as the cast ornament of the handles is similar to ornament on some of his other work. These tureens represent the outstanding quality, and 'monumentality' which Arthur Gilbert thought reflected the grandeur of the style of life for which such objects were designed and intended.

Layette basket

Layette basket
Silver
Probably London, England or Netherlands
About 1670
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.619-2008
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Layette baskets held the clothes and linen of a new-born baby. They were usually made of wicker, but in the grandest houses they could be of silver. A number of large silver baskets survive from the third quarter of the 17th century. Baskets of this shape are usually Dutch, while English baskets tend to be oval. However, this example may be English as Dutch baskets more often have broad, flat handles, rather than looped handles as seen here. It also has no maker's marks or hallmarks which would be very unusual for Dutch silver, but not unusual for English silver of this period.

The handles are decorated with hounds and other animals emerging from foliage. This motif may derive from a frieze ornament from 'Ornamenti di fregi et fogliami' (about 1650) by Stefano della Bella (1610-64). Such printed sources, which reflected favoured interests, were often used by craftsmen working in other media.

Cream jug

Cream jug
Silver
Probably by Paul de Lamerie (1688-1751)
London, England, about 1735
Museum no. Loan:Gilbert.733-2008
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

This cream jug has no marks, but bears similarities to other cream jugs attributed to Paul de Lamerie, a Huguenot silversmith who worked in the rococo style. The sculptural quality and overlapping scales or leaves are typical of his work of the 1730s.

The jug was cast in several pieces and soldered together. Casting is an ancient process and there are many casting techniques available, depending on what qualities the craftsman wants to achieve. A plaster mould was probably used for this jug as it is particularly good for casting objects with intricate detail and decoration. First a pattern in the shape of the finished item was made from clay, wood, wax, polished metal or soap. This could be kept and reused. The pattern was then pressed into soft plaster to create a mould. This could be in two parts if the pattern was symmetrical or more if it was a complicated shape. The mould was then fitted together and filled with molten metal.