Gilded Solid Silver Ciborium, Belgium (tongeren), Circa 1670–1695; Attributed To Jean De Newe

A rare and remarkable liturgical ciborium made of solid silver, richly gilded on the interior and on its architectural elements. It rests on a wide, openwork circular base, finely chased with a relief design of acanthus leaves. The baluster shaft is adorned with bands engraved with foliage motifs and supports a hemispherical bowl topped by a domed lid crowned with a gilded silver Latin cross.

Based on its style, the quality of its craftsmanship, and the crowned master’s mark “NI,” this work can be attributed with a high degree of certainty to Jean de Newe, a Liège-based master goldsmith active between 1660 and 1695. He completed numerous commissions for parishes and religious communities in the Hesbaye region, particularly around Tongeren.

The absence of a city hallmark is a particularly interesting detail. This can be explained either by the piece having been made specifically for liturgical use—and thus exempt from municipal inspection—or by its production during the turbulent period following the Great Fire of Tongeren in 1677, when certain pieces were delivered outside the usual oversight of the goldsmiths’ guild.