Description

A charming little 17th century silver dish with scalloped sides and shaped side handles. With a gilt finish inside and to the outside top rim. The centre is embossed throughout with shells, flowers and fruits.

Weight 158 grams, 5 troy ounces.

Top measures 16.5 x 12.5 cm. Width across handles 16.1 cm. Height 3.1 cm.

Continental silver marks stamped by the handle.

Probably German.

Circa 1680.

Literature – The saucer shaped taster was already in use as early as the 14th century BC in Minoan Crete and has been essential in the production of wine right through to the present time. It is used by the sommelier to determine a wine’s quality by assessing the colour, clarity, bouquet and taste. The majority of wine tasters in existence are French. The owners often engraved their name on the taster whose single flat handle often accommodated a neck cord. Very few English wine tasters were made because wine was not a national product however a number were produced during a short period in the second half of the 17th century. These English examples are rare and anything after this date is even rarer. The early English examples were in the shape of a flat bowl, often with simple wire handles (often these have their original rough soldering which can appear “blobby”).

Marks. Three continental silver marks stamped by the handle. Difficult to read but probably German.