A French silver drinking vessel (hanap), possibly Pierre de Bosco, Toulouse, probably 1471

With S.J. Phillips, London, 2017

This drinking vessel, dated to the 15th century, is an exceptionally rare example of French medieval secular goldsmithing. Such pieces have endured the ravages of wars, royal meltings, changing tastes, and evolving decorative styles.

It is hallmarked 1471, as noted in J. Thuile’s L’orfèvrerie en Languedoc du XIIe au XVIIIe siècle, Généralité de Toulouse, 1968, p. 238. Consulting the list of goldsmiths active in Toulouse at that time, Thuile mentions a goldsmith from the di Bosco family without illustrating his hallmark, specifically Peyre, recorded until at least 1469. It thus seems plausible to attribute this piece to Peyre de Bosco.

Medieval silver hanaps or cups are typically plain, with a flat base, undecorated but featuring a gilded rim. They were often crafted in multiple copies to adorn the buffets in the grand reception halls of lords, showcasing the wealth and power of their owners. They could also be used during banquets for the most affluent guests. Few such pieces have survived, and it is thanks to buried treasures, later rediscovered, that we can admire them today. For instance, the Ariège treasure, uncovered in 1956 at Mirepoix, consisted of nine secular pieces, including six plain cups with gilded rims. This treasure, dated to 1361–1362, includes items hallmarked from Toulouse, Carcassonne, and Avignon. The collection has been housed at the Louvre Museum since 1998.

One of the finest cups from this period comes from the Gaillon treasure, discovered in the 19th century. This cup, held at the Cluny Museum (inv. Cl1951), is decorated with six repoussé petals centered by an enameled pelican, a symbol of charity and sacrifice. It is one of the earliest examples of this repoussé decoration with spheres or petals, seen in a simpler form on the current example.

In contrast, six cups from the Coëffort treasure, dated between the 14th and the first half of the 15th century, show the same half-sphere decoration as the present lot. Discovered in 1953 in a sarcophagus at the Hôtel-Dieu in Le Mans, this treasure included thirty-one pieces from Paris, Rouen, and Le Mans. The cups are engraved with initials and inscriptions indicating their use, possibly belonging to a religious figure for meals in a religious establishment.

One cup from this treasure, with Paris hallmarks and dated to the first quarter of the 15th century, was sold at Sotheby’s Geneva, May 13, 1991, lot 134.

A silver hanap with Avignon hallmarks, featuring more elaborate central decoration, was offered at Christie’s Paris, 19 June, 2018, lot 36. Another with numerous half-spheres, dated to the early 15th century, was also sold in the same sale.