Chiseled Silver Ciborium, Silver-gilt Cup, France, Mid-19th Century

This silver and silver-gilt ciborium (cup) displays all the characteristics of quality works produced at this time: fullness of form, richness and saturation of the finely executed decoration on all of the ciborium's components. Resting on a circular base with a domed ogee, the ciborium is decorated with bas-relief decoration, embossed, chased and guilloché. The ornamentation of the terrace presents plant symbols linked to the Eucharist, such as rushes, vine branches and ears of wheat, alternating with openwork medallions. These medallions represent biblical figures: Christ in profile, Charity, Saint John. The stem has a knot in the shape of an inverted pear, decorated with three radiating symbols: a triangle symbolizing the Trinity and the monogram of God, the Tablets of the Law (book of the Ten Commandments), and a Sacred Heart. It supports a straight-profile, fairly flat cup, set in a cut and chiseled saucer, decorated with a large frieze of vine branches supported by a corolla of palm leaves. The lid, with a gadrooned ogee, forms a dome decorated with Eucharistic plant symbols in medallions, and ends with a floral cross placed in the center on a corolla of rays. Ciborium executed in the first half of the 19th century. Most likely French work. Bears a "swan" guarantee mark. No master goldsmith mark identified, but the work is attributed to the master goldsmith Dejean. Height: 24.5 cm Diameter of the foot: 12.2 cm Diameter of the cup: 10 cm Weight: 463 g Condition: perfect