though composed of inferior metal, is an illustration of the fine plate wrought in England in the 12th century, while the ancient anointing spoon of the sovereigns of England at the Tower of London is an historical relic of the end of the 12th century (with the bowl altered for Charles II.). The earl of Carysfort is the fortunate possessor of a silver-gilt censer of about 1375 and an incense ship, of about 1400, found in Whittlesea Mere in 1850, and formerly belonging to Ramsey Abbey.[1] Only one pre-Reformation English gold chalice has survived, which with its paten and a silver crosier was given to Corpus Christi College, Oxford, by its founder, Bishop Foxe (Plate II., fig. 26). Both bear the London date-letter for 1507-1508. Another historical relic which has come down to the present day, though in a restored form, is the gold ampulla of about the end of the 14th century in the Tower of London. The universities of Oxford and Cambridge, though sadly depleted of their plate, can still show some notable pieces. The earliest example at each is a drinking horn, both of the 14th century, at Queen's College, Oxford, and Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. Other notable horns are the Pusey horn[2]; the celebrated Bruce horn with the seals of John of Gaunt attached, and one at Christ's Hospital.
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Fig. 15—Silver Cup, 4¾ in. high, with embossed gold band; found in a grave in the east of Zealand (Denmark). This cup dates from the earlier part of the Iron Age. |
Mazer bowls, made of wood mounted in silver and even in gold, and frequently engraved with scriptural and other inscriptions (see Plate II., fig. 28), were popular drinking vessels in England in medieval times. Many of these have survived, the earliest specimen being one of Edward II. at Harbledown hospital. They ceased to be made after the reign of Elizabeth (Archaeologia, i. 120). Medieval coco-nut cups, mounted in silver, are of frequent occurrence in England, the best known examples being in the possession of the colleges at Oxford and Cambridge and several of the city companies. As has been mentioned before, but few examples of early plate exist; the following is a brief list of some of the most notable pieces, other than those previously enumerated: the “Sokborn” cup (c. 1450), and the “Anathema” cup (1481-1482) at Pembroke College, Cambridge; the Leigh cup (1490) at Mercers' Hall; the ivory and silver cup (1525-1526) of the duke of Norfolk; the pastoral staff (c. 1367) at New College, Oxford; the Richmond cup (c. 1510) at Armourers Hall, the “election cup” (c. 1520) at Winchester College; and the Foundress' plate, consisting of a fine covered cup (1435-1440), two salts (c. 1500), a beaker and cover (1507-1508), and a salt (1507-1508) at Christ's College, Cambridge. Of Elizabeth's reign, the finest examples are probably the salt of the Vintners' Company (Plate II., fig. 27), and the rosewater dish and ewer of the duke of Rutland. Stoneware jugs, as the well-known example (1581) from West Malling, Kent, and Chinese porcelain vessels were elaborately mounted in Elizabethan times, a goodly proportion of the former having been done by goldsmiths at Exeter.
The Celtic races of both England and Ireland appear to have possessed great wealth in gold and silver, but especially the former. It seems, however, to have been mostly used in the manufacture of personal ornaments, such as torques, fibulae and the like. A magnificent suit of gold armour, repoussé with simple patterns of lines and dots, was found some years ago at Mold in Flintshire, and is now in the British Museum.[3] The amount of old jewelry found in Ireland during the past century has been enormous, but, owing to the unfortunate law of “treasure-trove,” by far the greater part was immediately melted down by the finders. Little of this period that can be called plate has been discovered in the British Isles—unlike Denmark and other Scandinavian countries, where the excavation of tombs has in many cases yielded rich results in the way of massive cups, bowls, ladles and horns of solid gold, mostly decorated with simple designs of spirals, concentric circles, or interlaced grotesques. Others are of silver, parcel-gilt, and some have figure subjects in low relief (fig. 15). In like manner, during the Saxon period, though gold and silver jewelry was common, yet little plate appears to have been made, with the exception of shrines, altar-frontals and vessels for ecclesiastical use, of which every important church in England must have possessed a magnificent stock. With regard to English secular plate, though but few early examples still exist, we know from various records, such as wills and inventories, that the 14th century was one in which every rich lord or burgher prided himself on his fine and massive collection of silver vessels; on festive occasions this was displayed, not only on the dinner-table, but also on sideboards, arranged with tiers of steps, one above the other, so as to show off to advantage the weighty silver vases, flagons and dishes with which it was loaded. The central object on every rich man's table was the “nef”—a large silver casket, usually (as the name suggests) in the form of a ship, and arranged to contain the host's napkin, goblet, spoon and knife, with an assortment of spices and salt. No old English “nefs” are now known. Great sums were often spent on this large and elaborate piece of plate, e.g. one made for the duke of Anjou in the 14th century weighed 348 marks of gold. The English silversmiths of this period were highly skilled in their art, and produced objects of great beauty both in design and workmanship. One of the finest specimens of Edward III.'s plate which still exists is a silver cup belonging to the mayor and corporation of King's Lynn. It is graceful and chalice-like in form, skilfully chased, and decorated in a very rich and elaborate way with coloured translucent enamels (fig. 16) of ladies and youths, several with hawks on their wrists. Silver salt-cellars were among the most elaborate pieces of plate produced during the 15th century. Several colleges at Oxford and Cambridge still possess fine specimens of these (fig. 17); a favourite shape was a kind of hour-glass form richly ornamented, made between about 1480 and 1525.
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Fig. 16.—Silver Cup, with translucent enamels. Probably English work of the 14th century. |
Fig. 17.—Silver-gilt Salt-cellar, 14½ in. high. Given to New College, Oxford, in 1493. |
