M. FORD CREECH ANTIQUES & FINE ARTS

 

 

SILVER-MOUNTED COCONUT CUP AND COVER
Unmarked to the Body, Cover Single Rubbed Maker's Mark
Likely Continental & 18th Century

 

 

In the late baroque manner, the ovoid nut bowl completely silver-lined, and having
outer silver mounts with scale diapering bordered by horizontal reeding,
above further scale diapering and a scalloped and pierced border,
connected by three silver standing 'Atlantean'* type figures to a
scalloped silver lower covering decorated en suite with the upper bowl border,
and raised on scale-decorated annular knopped pedestal stem over a stepped base,
also with scale diapering,
the coconut cover with knopped silver finial and trefoil escutcheon, all with further scale decoration

 

Condition : Excellent mounts and details, with well fitting cover and statue on table;
the bowl with one filled crack, traces of a mark on the cover;
finial nut replaced, with some glue residue verso

fine surface scratches and nicks appropriate to age and usage; minor dent to finial.

 

10" High

 

SOLD

 

# 7267

 

Please Inquire

 

 

 

 

 

 

Silver-Mounted Coconut Cups :

 

Coconut cups have been popular in Western Europe from the late 15th and 16th centuries,

transported from India, as well as South America and the West Indies,

particularly by the Spanish and Portuguese.

Drinking from a coconut cup was believed to cure all sorts of ailments such as fever, kidney failure and tapeworm.

They were not only restorative, but thought to have aphrodisiac powers.

 

"In the 17th century, travelers and merchants brought back to this country (England) coconuts,

exotic shells and rare birds' eggs, which were given silver mounts"**.

Coconut cups were often turned into the bowl of a wine goblet.

"These often only have a maker's mark or perhaps no mark at all. They are rarely found with a full set of hallmarks."**

17th century examples normally had the rim mounts joined to the foot by means of three equally spaced vertical straps.

Common during the time of Charles II, these cups went out of vogue for a time.

It was not until the reign of George III that examples are again found.

At that date, the British cup was often fully silver- lined, but without vertical straps,

having plain mounts and a full set of hallmarks.

(**Waldron, Antique Silver, p. 182)

 

*Atlantean type figures are the male correspondent to the female caryatid figures,

derived from Etruscan and Greek temples, traced to the 6th century BC or earlier.

 

 

     

 

 

Cover Detail

  Silver Interior, no splits or repairs noted

 

 

Cover Rim Mark

 

 

Foot Verso

 


 

See Also :

 

  

 

George III Silver-Mounted Crested Coconut Cup

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

We welcome and encourage all inquiries regarding our stock.  We will make every attempt to answer any questions you might have.

 

For information, call (901) 761-1163 or (901) 827-4668, or

Email : mfcreech@bellsouth.net  or  mfordcreech@gmail.com
 

American Express, Mastercard, Visa and Discover accepted

 

 

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M. Ford Creech Antiques & Fine Arts / 581 South Perkins Road /  Memphis, TN 38117 / USA /  Wed.-Sat. 11-6, or by appointment

 


 

 

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Silver-Mounted Coconut Cup & Cover, Cover with Maker's Mark, Likely Continental, 18th Century