Featured Silver dish with blind filigree & turquoise cabs - origin?

Hi everyone,

This one has me stumped, bartered it from another dealer, was pretty black when I got. It is hand beaten, the planishing can be felt clearly. The cabs are simulated turquoise - nicely made glass with layers capturing some of the lines/inclusions below the surface so they must have been lampworked/marvered. Stones are held in with the punches, not glued. It has four gourd feet (pumpkin like cloven 4 ways). Simply punched 925 and tests as marked.

Anyone know/speculate on origin?

 

sweet....those stones look real from here............

 

Nice piece. I liked.

 

They are very detailed, under the scope I can see 2-3 layers in each where they have built them up, then they are too opaque to see any deeper. They probably took more time/effort to make than putting real turquoise in.

 

Very pretty. I love this

 

I suspect South American.

 

Could we see the bottom, the mark, and perhaps give an idea of size?

~Cheryl

 

The stones are classic 1950s/60s glass faux turquoise cabs. They came in plastic too later. I've never seen them in silver before, but it makes sense in something that will get oil on it or water, or both.

 

You certainly can...5" by 3 3/4"...

 

Interesting thought, I could see it as an olive dish.

 

Very pretty dish, Ce.
The 'stones' are Czech turquoise matrix cabochons.
As far as I know, the combination of these cabs with silver is used mostly in the Middle East. Israeli and Palestinian, Kurdish, and there are probably more cultures in the region that have used it.

 

Thanks, and yes it does have the Eastern aesthetic, and there was a lot of trade of glass historically from the bohemian region to Turkey etc so this adds up too. I may have to go for the blanket Middle Eastern style. The only other idea that I considered was Portuguese, something in the back of my mid was triggering a memory from a museum in Portugal, but I don't have anything solid.

 

Ughhh - was busy all day yesterday, but this darned thing had me popping back to look at it whenever I'd take a break. It's a pretty piece, personally, would doubt any earlier than mid 20th century, but not finding anything that pins down its origin - the filigree design is simple, could be from numerous places (but those flattened 'balls' a bit uncommon), same with the lobed form and the hammering, the extended rim isn't particularly common, and the way the stones set is unusual. Honestly don't know where it's from, but will post a few random thoughts, and hope someone else has better luck.


Mexican was my first quick impression, mostly just because of the lobed shape, and the Czech glass cabochons, often called 'Hubbell' stones/beads when found in mid 20th century Mexican silver jewelry or bit earlier Navajo pieces - but nothing else about it seemed right. Those feet look so familiar, and believe I've seen similar before, but its not coming to me, and can't find anything (have seen similar feet on pieces before, but just plain half-spheres), and the font of the incuse '925' is interesting, but nothing that would really place it. A number of different countries had/have silver makers that only mark the fineness, and started running through those that came to mind, but didn't really find much - so without any specific reason, my wild guess is that it might be Israeli, and I'm just not gonna think about it anymore...




Though not really similar in shape and construction, the two Israeli bowls below do have flat extended rims - but they're definitely a reach:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-HA...9gr/233424694443?_trksid=p2485497.m4902.l9144




https://www.ebay.com/itm/VINTAGE-ST...546616?hash=item3b50325638:g:KUsAAOSwAmtfhus8






Just a pretty Israeli brooch with similar motif and a glass stone (have seen Israeli jewelry with the turquoise glass), but as said, a very common design:

https://il.bidspirit.com/ui/lotPage.../128425/Bezalel-filigree-sterling-935?lang=en




This 925 enamel piece, coincidentally located in Israel, also has an extended rim, and is lobed with visible hammer marks, but I think more just not well-finished rather than for attractive effect as on yours, it also has the half-sphere feet I mentioned (wonder why no vent-holes on these or yours) - would definitely question the seller's description:


https://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-ANTIQ...064255?hash=item485682e53f:g:-VYAAOxyhPxREKl1





This seller, with two very similar pieces, marked 'HAND MADE 1000', believes them to be Indian, more likely, but would question the age suggested:


https://www.rubylane.com/item/1497431-WSI-8601z/c-1890s-Pair-Silver-Salt-Dishes





~Cheryl

 

Wow. That was a lot of work, Cheryl!

 

Eh, just little bits and pieces from through the day, looked in some books on hand too - and so frustratingly without any real result...

~Cheryl

 

Guess we're pretty sure of what it isn't, but those other similar designs may eventually yield something.

I happen to think it's gorgeous!

 

Those are possibly from Uzbekistan.

 

Can I throw in Macedonia, with that filigree work?

 

Only if I can throw in a Makedonsko Oro. You can all join in.

 

That is just wonderful Thank you.