Vase with Angels in Embossed, Chiseled and Engraved Silver, Brescia, Italy, 1850s

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Antique Brescian Silver Vase. Originally the base of a thurible, it was made of embossed, chased, and engraved silver. It … Read more Antique Brescian Silver Vase. Originally the base of a thurible, it was made of embossed, chased, and engraved silver. It features a classical and richly decorated architectural structure. The upper rim is slightly everted and smooth. Immediately below it runs a central band decorated in relief with a vegetal and floral swirl motif (a central corolla flanked by symmetrical leaves) on a stamped or granite background. On the sides are two handles or attachment elements shaped like winged cherub heads (angels), which were originally used to secure the suspension chains. The upper band is bordered at the bottom by a border with a braid or twisted motif. The belly of the cup narrows towards the bottom and is sumptuously decorated with embossed acanthus leaf pods, alternating with stylized geometric or floral elements, typical of the Baroque or Neoclassical repertoire. The connection to the foot is marked by a short shaft with a knurled molding. The base is circular and flared, decorated at the top with a crown of stylized foliage or radial pods. The lower edge is flat and smooth. On the edge are three hallmarks: the globe with the seven trions for the second silver title (800/000), the spearhead identifying the Brescia Assurance Office between 1812 and 1872, and finally the silversmith's hallmark (unidentified). The object weighs 450 grams and displays a beautiful antique patina with natural oxidation in the recesses of the relief that enhances its three-dimensionality. See less