17th Century Filigree object at Berkeley Castle and some comparable examples - Filigree and Enamel.

 

18th Century Filigree Mounted Bowl? at Berkeley Castle. Glouc.

(updated 14 March 2023).

Since writing this post I am now in touch with the collection manager at Berkeley Castle who informs me that the bowl is in fact a Nautilus shell.

I am looking forward to receiving high resolution photographs in early April.

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I suspect South German Augsburg or Nuremberg, but I still haven't got a real handle on 18th century filigree production in South East Asia. 

Some researchers believe that these objects were made in Batavia, modern day Jakarta, Indonesia but until objects with an early provenance appear the verdict remains open.

The filigree flowers are decorated with blue enamelled details.

The enamelling is quite unusual and appears on very few pieces of filigree.

Size very approx 15cms wide.

Photographed at Berkeley Castle by the author 18 August 2013.

Size, and any provenance yet to be determined.

This photograph recently very kindly provided by Joshua Nash at Berkeley Castle.

More to come.

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The handles are stylised dolphins - so far I have only come across similar stylised dolphin handles on a 17th century Italian rock crystal bowl illustrated in Hugo Miguel Crespos - a Mesa do Principe. Pages 260 - 262.

Attributed to Giovanni Battista Metellino, of Milan ca. 1685.

11 x 18.2 x 16.4 cms.

The handles have been attached separately.

Article available online at

https://www.academia.edu/36297434/Hugo_Miguel_Crespo_ed_%C3%80_Mesa_do_Pr%C3%ADncipe_Jantar_e_Cear_na_Corte_de_Lisboa_1500_1700_At_the_Princes_Table_Dining_at_the_Lisbon_Court_1500_1700_Lisboa_AR_PAB_2018_pdf

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An Silver Filigree and Enamel Casket was sold by Sotheby's which might possibly be related.

 

Width 14.5 cms.

see - Sotheby's Lot 33 - 10 November 2021.

https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/gold-boxes-silver-and-ceramics/a-silver-filigree-and-polychrome-enamel-casket

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and also the spectacular filigree and enamel mounted shell also sold by Sotheby's.

Sold Sotheby's 10 November 2021.

https://www.sothebys.com/en/auctions/ecatalogue/2018/treasures-l18303/lot.11.html

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An 18th Century Silver Filigree and enamel basket and cover.

With Netherlands Dealers Zebregs Roells.

 https://www.zebregsroell.com/indonesian-silver-filigree-basket

Their catalogue entry -

 

West Sumatra/Padang or Batavia, circa 1700, apparently unmarked

 With soldered floral motifs filled with blue and green enamel.

H. 22 x Diam. 18 cms.

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The Zebregs Roell Catalogue entry states -

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 The present basket is almost identical to a silver filigree basket also with soldered flowers and leaves however lacking the colourful blue and green enamels as in the present basket. 

In Een bijzondere doos van zilver-filigrain (Aziatische Kunst, 32ste jaargang, Nr. 4, December 2002) Jan van Campen attributes the basket to Indian and Chinese artisans working in Batavia. Jan Veenendaal (Asian Art and the Dutch Taste, Waanders Uitgevers and Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, 2014) on the other hand argues that this kind of silver filigree work is more likely to have been the work of Chinese and Malay silversmiths working in West Sumatra, Padang. However, the enamelling may have been done in Batavia. 

The present basket certainly is very similar to a filigree box with green enamelling, modelled on a Chinese example, from West Sumatra illustrated in Jan Veenendaal’s book (ill. 195 and 196) (see image below).

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And another Filigree and Enamel piece illustrated in the Sotheby's Catalogue.

from the collection of Jan Veenendaal.

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Just to muddy the waters -

A round Silver Filigree Casket with ALJ Antiques.

The Turquoise coloured enamel is very unusual on Silver filigree.

I am very grateful to Duraid Jashamie of ALJ Antiques of London for permission to use his photographs.

https://www.aljantiques.com/

This is their description - 

Circa 1700.

"This filigree box was probably modeled on a Chinese example and was probably made in Padang, West Sumatra and was probably enameled in Batavia and was probably used as a betel nut container".

The decoration on this casket is very similar to the Sotheby's casket illustrated above.

Suggesting that the place of manufacture was the same.

https://www.aljantiques.com/antique/a-filigree-silver-work-lidded-box-with-enamelled-decoration-probably-batavia-dutch-east-indies-circa-18th-17th-century/

see their most recent quarterly up date here -

https://www.aljantiques.com/antiques-category/current-quarterly-collection/fifth-quarter-march-april-may-2023/

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For another very important piece of filigree with enamelled decoration and a 17th Century inscription with ALJ Antiques see also - 

https://www.aljantiques.com/antique/artifacts-of-the-voc-the-dutch-east-indies-an-important-historical-small-filigree-silver-dish-with-enamelled-central-medallion-padang-west-sumatra-batavia-jakarta-indonesia-date/

I will be posting separately on the ALJ filigree and enamel dish.

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The Veritas Auctions of Lisbon Silver Gilt and Silver Filigree Enamelled Casket.

9 x 17 x 10.5 cms.

The detail of the decoration on the lid show definite Chinese influence - Batavia was known for enamel work - so tentatively - made by Chinese craftsman under European instruction.

 https://veritas.art/en/lot/indo-portuguese-jewel-casket-1801778118/

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Silver Filigree and Enamel Casket Sold by Bonhams.

17th/early 18th Century - probably Batavia.

Related to the previous casket.

14.6 x 9.1 x 8.9 cm.

Sold Bonhams Lot 186. 11 June 2020.

Another casket with detail of the decoration showing distinct Chinese influence - Batavia was known for enamel work - so aagain tentatively - made by Chinese craftsman under European instruction.

https://www.bonhams.com/auction/26016/lot/186/a-silver-filigree-and-lazurite-enamelled-casket-indonesia-or-china-late-17th-early-18th-century/

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A Silver Filigree and Enamel Casket.

18th Century.

The feet are probably missing.

No size given.

I suspect it is missing the feet.

The catch appears to lack the sophistication of the rest of the work suggesting that it was added later.

 Inventory number : TM-1698-170

https://collectie.wereldculturen.nl/#/query/4048910b-f7b4-4641-849b-1768d2bb7276

From the (very annoying) Dutch Museums website.

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This form of casket with the domed lid is unusual but appears on several other caskets.

I am still unclear as to the origin of these caskets.

Here is a link to my blog post on the subject of the lateral domed caskets.

https://antiqueeuropeanfiligree.blogspot.com/2023/04/some-photographs-of-domed-silver.html

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Sources of information as yet unaccessed.

Chan, D.P.L., Chinese Export Silver: The Chan Collection, published in conjunction with the Asian Civilisations Museum, Singapore, 2005.

 

Marlowe, A.J., Chinese Export Silver, John Sparks, 1990.

 

Voskuil-Groenewegen, S.M. et al, Zilver uit de tijd van de Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie, Waanders Uitgevers, 1998.

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