PROBABLY ULM, MID 17TH CENTURY, MAKER'S MARK A S IN A SHIELD

Details

A German silver-gilt trick drinking cup
Probably Ulm, mid 17th Century, maker's mark a S in a shield
On three winged demi-figure feet, the baluster-shaped upper bowl enclosing a cylindrical shaft, the sides chased with snails, fruit, foliage, garlands and scrolls on a matted ground, the underside with detachable reservoir with five scroll spouts and supported on three mask, scroll, hoof and ball brackets, each resting on the pierced rim of the partly fluted lower bowl, the lower bowl with side spout with applied water mill and chased to simulate running water and applied with a swimming frog, marked on rim of cup, also struck twice with a post-1807 Dutch control mark
10 1/8in. (25.5cm.) high
18ozs. (566gr.)

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Lot Essay

A similar silver-gilt cup described as a table-ornament, by Hans Michael Bayr, Augsburg, circa 1625, (inventory number M.183-1956), is in the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (see German Domestic Silver 1618-1700, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 1967, no 4), the attribution to Bayr was presumably based on the mark illustrated by M. Rosenberg, Der Goldscmiede Merkezeichen, Frankfurt 1923, vol III, no 500. This mark however was reattributed to Hans Maulbrunner, by Helmut Seling in Die Kunst der Augsburger Goldscmiede 1529-1868, Munich, 1980, vol III, no 1217a. A mid 17th century Lübeck example by H. Tegelen is in a private German collection.

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