An Exceptional and Rare Renaissance Silver Gilt Mounted Rhinoceros Horn Cup
An Exceptional and Rare Renaissance Silver Gilt Mounted Rhinoceros Horn Cup with foliate ‘acanthus’ leaf mount, above a turned stem and repoussé oval base with displaying military ‘trophy’ emblems, the cup surmounted with a silver gilt Roman Soldier in armour holding a shield and spear to his sides
Rhinoceros horn, silver, gilt
German / China
Late 16th Century to Early 17th Century / 1580 - 1620
cf: old collectors number: SIL/2046A/A
Rhinoceros horn, silver, gilt
German / China
Late 16th Century to Early 17th Century / 1580 - 1620
cf: old collectors number: SIL/2046A/A
An Exceptional and Rare Renaissance Silver Gilt Mounted Rhinoceros Horn Cup with foliate ‘acanthus’ leaf mount, above a turned stem and repoussé oval base with displaying military ‘trophy’ emblems, the cup surmounted with a silver gilt Roman Soldier in armour holding a shield and spear to his sides
Rhinoceros horn, silver, gilt
German / China
Late 16th Century to Early 17th Century / 1580 - 1620
cf: old collectors number: SIL/2046A/A
Rhinoceros horn, silver, gilt
German / China
Late 16th Century to Early 17th Century / 1580 - 1620
cf: old collectors number: SIL/2046A/A
note: the Chinese Rhinoceros horn libation cup was an early exotic and luxurious import to the West / Europe, and regarded to be both highly valuable and protective to the owner, hence finding its way into a Royal Court of Europe where their silver and goldsmiths embellished the cup, in this case with a finely detailed silver-gilt support, for inclusion into the Court’s ‘kunstkammer’ to be marvelled and appreciated for its artistic importance, but on occasion also to be drunk from, as the rhinoceros horn would render any ‘poisonous’ liquid safe for the Princely patron to consume !
Ex Private collection
An Exceptional and Rare Renaissance Silver Gilt Mounted Rhinoceros Horn Cup
