Jim Peake
Head of Department
Lot 2
An early Lampwork glass and enamel reliquary, 17th century
5 June 2019, 10:30 BST
London, Knightsbridge£2,000 - £4,000
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Fergus Gambon
Director
An early Lampwork glass and enamel reliquary, 17th century
Venetian or possibly French (Nevers or Orléans), the small turquoise-blue enamel oval plaque applied with two kneeling figures, their robes in white and bright yellow glass, holding between them a monstrance, the green grassy mound beneath the figures strewn with tiny yellow flowers, mounted in a silver frame edged with a ropetwist and similar suspension ring, the back with a clear glass pane protecting a fragment of embroidered cloth, 4.8cm wide including the mount
Footnotes
Although the colours are reminiscent, these lampwork figures are smaller and more finely detailed than the verre de Nevers grotto figures from the later 17th century. Another possibility is the workshop of Bernard Perrot where it is believed glass lampwork was combined with enamel to create the curious scent bottle in the Lehman Collection in the Metropolitan Museum, item 1975.1.1561
