Description

A small 16^th century silver chalice with paten. The cup, following the standard design for Elizabethan communion cups, has straight tapering sides, slightly flared at the top, on a spreading foot. Decorated with a single hatched band of engraving around the centre and an ornamental wire to the top of the stem. The cover is of simple, plain design.

Contains 145 ml.
Weight of chalice and paten 122 grams, 3.9 troy ounces.
Chalice dimensions – height 11.5cm, diameter of top 7.2cm, foot 7cm.
Unmarked silver.
Probably provincial. Circa 1570.
Likely to have been made from pre-reformation sterling silver.

Marks. Both cup and paten have no silver marks however we have attributed a date of circa 1570 based on the design and hatched decoration, both typical of this period. There is an old paper label beneath the foot which states “Elizabethan probably Norwich”.

Literature: Most parish churches in existence at this date would have had a chalice very similar to this. The church authorities launched a programme from about 1560 to replace the ‘old massing chalices’ with ‘decent’ communion cups of prescribed design, such as this. The programme for refashioning old chalices was staggered from diocese to diocese over a period of about 15 years. The large and remote Welsh diocese of St David’s was one of the last to adopt the new form of communion cup.

Displays moderate wear consistent with 450 years of use. There are several old repairs visible around the base of the bowl. The cup has been water tested and does not leak.

No maker assigned

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