An Extremely Fine William and Mary Period Turned Lignum Vitae Small Wassail Bowl or Goblet with Period Silver Mounted Rim c.1690

Made from lignum vitae, the only wood which does not float in water and is thus prized for its hardness and fine figure, this fine wassail bowl or goblet is of unusually small scale for a wassail bowl or very large scale for a goblet. As such it is a particularly intriguing piece. It is also notable for the quality of the turning of the stem which has multiple knops and is something of a show piece for the art of the 17th century turner. The stem has survived without any chips or other forms of damage, as has the finely turned, slightly domed, spreading foot.

The timber used for the bowl of the piece is of particularly fine figure and has attained an excellent colour and patination. The rim of the bowl has a fine contemporary silver mount with the maker’s mark R C or R G. The silver is also in fine condition and the mount is both decorative and practical, protecting the most vulnerable area of the piece from damage during use and also making it more pleasant to drink from.

A wassail cup with dipping cups in the V&A is worthy of comparison. Slightly earlier in date than our piece, this example is of a much simpler style but also features a silver rim to both the central cup and each of the dipping vessels.

https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O137891/wassail-cup-unknown/

Our piece is a highly unusual variation on the theme of wassailing vessels and, as such, will appeal to the connoisseur collector.

Research and essay by Christopher Coles.

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