A PAIR OF CONTINENTAL SILVER FILIGREE BASKETS, UNMARKED, PROBABLY 18TH CENTURY

The demand for filigree in Europe, beginning in the 17th century was supplied by local goldsmith in Europe as well as by imports from countries such as India, China, the Philippines and Sumatra. These baskets may be German. They are engraved with Germanic crests and armorial helmets, and incorporate a distinct five-bead applique which can be found on filigree associated with knife and fork handles from the Wilstermarsch of Schleswig-Holstein. (See: Hubert Stierling, Der Silberschmuck der Nordseekünst, Holstein, 1978, p. 238). The same five-bead ornament is also on a book cover hallmarked in Nuremberg circa 1705/06 by the goldsmith Michael Lauffer (See cover of volume 2, Nürnberger Goldschmiedekunst, Germanischen Nationalmuseums, Nuremberg, 2007, and no. 506.01). In addition the Nuremberg book cover and these baskets now offered for sale both include the motif of a six or eight petalled flower on a flower, they both have a corded edge to the filigree thread which terminate in the same way with a circle in a circle.