Featured Irish Loving Cup

Looking at acquiring this gorgeous silver loving cup but could use some assistance in dating and identification of the silversmith.

 

Hi Daniel! I'm afraid your pictures of the markings you have found are too small to see important details and do not "expand" when clicked. Any chances of larger ones?

 

I do see what are a couple inscriptions, but nothing that resembles Irish silver marks. What have you been told about this item?

 

Sorry about that, bakersgma. Let’s try this.

 

Being sold as “Irish Silver Lidded Loving Cup”. The detail looks outstanding.

 

That is certainly an improvement, but I don't see a "date letter" to go with the Dublin assay mark. What looks like intertwined letters on the left is a partial maker's mark I suspect.

 

The top one sure looks like a match to me. Thanks so much! Would like to see an overlay.

 

Interesting, INH. I normally want a date letter to get an indication of "when" before searching for a maker match. But that one you found is certainly possible.

 

Another (and more comprehensive British Marks site) gives "dates found" for Bolton between 1712 and 1728.

http://www.silvermakersmarks.co.uk/Makers/Dublin-TZ.html#TB

 

Can we see the inscriptions or does the listing not have close up pics of them?

 

Definitely an old Irish silver piece with nice craftsmanship. I will try to research sales for Bolton silver pieces.

 

BTW, I suspect that if those dates (or similar) are correct, this piece may have seen seriously added to in a more recent time frame. @Ownedbybear has called that kind of work "clobbering."

 

Wow. The prices are off the charts!

https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/16742/lot/281/

https://www.christies.com/lotfinder...william-iii-irish-silver-6134716-details.aspx

 

I agree with @Bakersgma, looks like the piece could have had all the repousse work done in the 19thc i.e. "clobbered" - I'm no expert in silver, but AFAIK isn't early silver like this usually quite plain?

 

Compare the 2 pieces Daniel linked above to this one - absolutely plainer.

Not exactly the same period, but I have a 1779 2 handled cup - and pretty plain. When I showed it off here right after I found it, AF said something about the handles having been embellished.

 

That's handsome. I agree it's been got at later: it's reasonable for 18th C silver to have fancy shaped handles and knops and such, but all that hammering and stamping and repousse and embossing is usually a Victorian with too much time on hi or her hands. The 18th century and Georgian makers relied on shape and form, hence the nice scrollwork on the handles, without adding those flowers.

Interesting that the name has a middle initial . That's far more of an American thing. We'd normally either just do first name, or the middle name would be in full.

 

Impressive cup, Daniel. I agree with the others, most of the repoussé was done at a later date, probably the 19th century. Collectors prefer the clean 18th century shapes. But on the other hand, this shows the history of the piece.

Yes, it is an American thing. Daniel is in Chicago, so I assume the cup is too, and it could have been for a long time.