Dish
probably Philip Rollos
Category
Silver
Date
1680 - 1697
Materials
Silver-gilt
Measurements
2.1 x 46.5 x 35.4 cm; 1652 g (Weight)
Place of origin
London
Order this imageCollection
Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire
NT 516465.2
Summary
A rosewater basin, silver-gilt, unmarked, probably London, circa 1690, or possibly Continental. The oval basin is raised and applied with a narrow cast gadroon border round a wide rim. The rim is richly chased with mermen and mermaids, dolphins, an Ichthyocentaur, a sea horse and sea creatures, as well as cherubs and a stag, all frolicking, hunting, fishing or playing musical instruments in a choppy sea. The shallow depression is engraved with a finely detailed scene of two partially submerged mermen holding aloft two mermaids whose outstretched arms support a central circular cartouche engraved with a coat of arms. On one side a man holding a triton rides on a shell pulled by sea horses, on the other a woman and sea creature are depicted; around them merchildren play musical instruments. In the cloudy sky above the cartouche two fighting sea horses are pulled apart by cherubs holding reins. On the underside of the dish outlines of pin pricked dots are visible round the figures and waves. These acted as a guide for the workman who embossed the decoration. A disc, possibly enamelled, was once secured to the centre of the basin with two groups of three rivets. The plugged holes can be seen on the underside of the basin, along with four further small holes, two of which have been plugged. It is presumed that armorials were engraved on the centre of the basin when the disc was removed. The engraved arms were later erased, possibly so that the basin’s seller could not be identified, and the Howard arms engraved. The erasure has left the metal thin and cracked.
Full description
See Master Object entry for further information
Provenance
(Urban) Huttleston Rogers Broughton, 1st Baron Fairhaven (1896-1966) bequeathed by Lord Fairhaven to the National Trust along with the house and the rest of the contents National Trust
Credit line
Anglesey Abbey, the Fairhaven Collection (National Trust)
Marks and inscriptions
On the underside of the basin: Old NT Inventory Number: ‘AA/S/74 On the underside of the basin: Current NT Inventory Number: ‘516465.2’
Makers and roles
probably Philip Rollos, goldsmith