Silver Ciborium, France, Late 19th Century

A silver ciborium resting on a circular, six-lobed base with a slight projection highlighted by a frieze of pearls and openwork, pierced crosshatching. The six-lobed base is decorated with repoussé rosettes on a guilloché ground strewn with dots. Lanceolate leaves, beaded rings, and foliate motifs punctuate the tubular stem, which is fitted with a torus knot chased with foliage and four-leaf lozenges on a guilloché ground. The hemispherical cup is inserted into a false cup with cut and repoussé floral decoration, highlighted by acanthus leaf pinnacles. The lid is decorated with aquatic plants within openwork and guilloché frames and surmounted by a fleur-de-lis cross on a pedestal. France, late 19th century. Silver 950/1000, Minerva hallmarks on all parts. Dimensions: — Height: 26.5 cm — Base diameter: 13.4 cm — Net weight: 436 g Condition: Very good condition; wear to the gilding inside the bowl.