Tankard
Datelate 16th or 17th century
MediumSerpentine and silver-gilt mounts
Dimensions11 7/8 × 8 13/16 × 6 1/8 in. (30.2 × 22.4 × 15.6 cm)
Credit LineGift of Alexis Gregory, 2021
Accession number2021.9.02
CommentaryA hardstone known since antiquity, serpentine was believed to protect against disease and neutralize poison. This large tankard has two thin rings toward the base. The band in the middle of the body is gilded like the rest of the mounts and decorated with motifs such as acanthus leaves. The lid is composed of two convex ornaments with a dart frieze and has repoussé scroll motifs and masks. The S-shaped handle has an animal head—perhaps a dragon—modeled in the round. The lid is decorated with a pinecone. Marks are visible in two places, but the goldsmith has not been identified.
Henry Richard Greville (1779–1853), 3rd Earl of Warwick and Brooke, Warwick Castle; by descent through his line; Galerie Neuse, Bremen; purchased by Alexis Gregory, 1998; Gift to The Frick Collection, 2021
Not On View
Exhibitions
Chinese, Qing Dynasty (1644−1911), Kangxi Period (1662−1722)
Late 17th century
Attributed to André-Louis Gilbert
ca. 1775