Lille 1753-1755, Mass Chalice, Sterling Silver, François Ricourt

Very beautiful and large Louis XV period chalice in solid silver and vermeil with the hallmarks of the city of Lille for the period 1753-1755. It also bears the hallmark of master goldsmith François Ricourt who was admitted to the mastery in 1733 and was active until 1782. A half-century career which left us quite a few objects in public and private collections but the horrors of revolutionary castings left us very few religious pieces. This chalice probably survived because believers hid it or because it was taken by exiles. Liturgical goldwork from the period of the old regime is extremely rare, so it is with great pride that I offer it for sale. It is of considerable weight and in an exceptional state of preservation. Its false cup which surrounds the still intact silver-gilt cup is still present, which is rarely the case. Its style is still profoundly Louis XIV and therefore late for the period. This is often explained by the fact that religious objects had to match older liturgical ensembles already in place. It weighs 700 grams.