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Lot Essay
This ciborium relates to number of gilt-copper liturgical vessels in the Musée de Cluny, Paris, and the British Museum, London, each originating from Siena around 1330-40. Further examples illustrated in Tauret-Delahaye (loc.cit.) demonstrate the standard use of the enamelled baluster and lobed spreading foot attached to monstrances chalices or, as in this case, a ciborium.
Ciboriae were filled with the small hosts that are given to the faithful during communion. Their size was directly related to the size of the congregation, and the material from which they were made was related to the wealth of the community. Thus, the wealthiest churches had splendid gold liturgical vessels while the poorer churches would have had pewter ones. The condition and quality of this example suggests that it may well have belonged to an affluent community. It appears to have been altered for use as an inkwell, probably in the 19th Century.
Ciboriae were filled with the small hosts that are given to the faithful during communion. Their size was directly related to the size of the congregation, and the material from which they were made was related to the wealth of the community. Thus, the wealthiest churches had splendid gold liturgical vessels while the poorer churches would have had pewter ones. The condition and quality of this example suggests that it may well have belonged to an affluent community. It appears to have been altered for use as an inkwell, probably in the 19th Century.