SILVER CUP WITH INSCRIPTION. POSSIBLY SOUTH AMERICAN, 18TH CENTURY.
Antiques -
Reference: ZF1058
Tembladera or bernegal with ownership inscription. Possibly Hispanic American, 18th century. Silver-coloured trinket dish with a wide, circular base and a mouth of greater diameter than this, a body with a fine line engraved towards the edge and an inscription of ownership on the front (Lucas Vilacha) made with small dots. It also has two handles decorated with vegetal elements and grotesques with human heads, and shapes similar to lions or dogs can be seen on the upper part. In Spanish silversmithing, the Baroque trends were maintained for almost the first two thirds of the 18th century, except in the capital, where Rococo forms were introduced without displacing the previous ones. It was not until 1740 when French silversmiths introduced these innovations in Madrid, which would slowly spread to the rest of the centres, depending on the area and the masters. This survival of the 17th century forms can be seen in the handles of the tembladera: the grotesques with human heads are very prominent, decorative abundance that contrasts with the clean lines of the rest of the work but is common in this type of work. The lack of hallmarks does not allow the work or the artist to be located, although it is precisely this that speaks in favour of a secondary silversmithing centre, where the lack of control of these works was more common due to the lack of masters and the means to ensure compliance with the marking regulations. Bernegales and tembladeras were the most common types of silverware in 17th century Spain (although they continued to be popular in the 18th century, especially in centres far from the main centres of creation). In the case of this piece, the handles could indicate that it was made in the Americas, although there are similar cases that are thought to have been made in the Iberian Peninsula. It is worth mentioning that there is evidence of the baptism of a Lucas Vilachá in 1783 in Lanza (La Paz, Bolivia). Compare with works such as the tembladera by Antonio Sánchez dated between 1655 and 1689 from the Convent of the Clarisas Mothers of Villacastín, others preserved in the National Museum of Decorative Arts in Madrid, etc. Weight: 325 grams.
· Size: 20x15x7,6 cms.
1.700 €
