Massive Antique Silver Standing Cup and Cover, German, circa 1880.

Object Description

This exceptional Renaissance style ceremonial hunting cup displays great artistic skill and decorative imagination. With a monumental height of 81.5cm (32ins) it has a boldly articulated bowl mounted on an intricate stem and wide spreading foot. The detachable cover is very charming, surmounted by a cast, figural hunting scene, the spreading surface with deeply chased scroll and oak leaf ornament, birds, fruit, boar and dog masks. The bowl is applied with two large cast silver friezes in deep relief depicting stag and boar hunting scenes all accompanied by ornamental strapwork interspersed with chased rabbits, pheasants and fish. The multi section stem is mounted with three winged female figures above a central section having four applied scroll brackets over four cupid figures. The spreading foot has broad bands of bead and four applied scroll brackets. Gilt finish to the interior of both bowl and cover.

Weight 4290g, 137.9 troy oz.
Total height 81.5cm (32ins). Diameter of rim 24.5cm.
German, circa 1880.
Silver grade 875.

A very impressive piece of silver.

Marks. Both the foot of the cup and the edge of the cover are stamped with German silver marks including maker “J.H.M” and silver grade 13 (87.5% purity).

No maker assigned

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Object Literature

Ornamental standing cups were very popular during the 16th century for sideboard display and were often put in front of the host at the dining table. The cover adds height and makes it look more important. These magnificent cups were also used for ceremonial or presentation purposes and their popularity remained, with stylistic variations, well into the 19th century. With their distinctive swelling bowl and waisted and vertical elements these beautiful pieces continued to be an obligatory masterpiece for the German silversmith, testing his skill and also his artistic taste and imagination, in many cities until the end of the 18th century.

German silver marks. Pre 1888 antique German silver was based on different town mark symbols and the silver fineness was indicated in “loth” (12 loth = 750/1000, 13 loth = 875/1000, 15 loth = 937/1000). In 1888 the “crescent moon and crown” marks were adopted together with the fineness of silver usually “800” = 800/1000. This system is still in use today.

Object Condition

This wonderful cup and cover is in very good condition.

Object Details