Cruet set - Silver, Glass - 1810 - 1822

Elegant Portuguese cruet set from the first half of the 19th century, of exceptional craftsmanship, consisting of a relief and pierced silver frame and a set of glass cruets blown and cut, richly decorated with fine gold gilding. The circular base, resting on an elevated foot, features elaborate neoclassical lace-like decoration, executed in pierced silver with geometric and vegetal motifs. In the center rises an elegant turned shaft, topped by a cut-out moving wing, enabling the piece to be carried, a feature characteristic of apparatus cruet sets produced in the early decades of the 19th century. The set preserves four original transparent glass containers for oil, vinegar and condiments. The cruets display delicate hand-applied gold decoration, comprising friezes, garlands, stylized leaves and floral motifs, complemented by glass lids also decorated. The molded handles confer elegance and functionality to the set. The silver frame bears Lisbon municipal marks of the assay master José Joaquim da Costa, dating between 1810 and 1822 (mark L-38.0b), as well as the mark of the prestigious goldsmith Joaquim Prudêncio Vital Dinis, registered in 1812 and documented until 1852 (mark L-443.0), constituting important testimony of Portuguese goldsmithing in the late Joanine and neoclassical period. A piece of high historical and collector interest, representative of the luxurious dining tables of Portuguese aristocracy and upper bourgeoisie in the first half of the 19th century. Condition: Good overall, compatible with age. Shows signs of use; one glass lid is broken and two lids are missing, as described. The silver structure remains solid and well preserved.
Origin: Portugal
Era: 1st half of the 19th century (1810–1822)
Material: Silver and blown glass with gold decoration
Marks: Lisbon, assay master José Joaquim da Costa (L-38.0b)
Goldsmith: Joaquim Prudêncio Vital Dinis (L-443.0)
Weight of silver: 2,506.3 grams
Height: 31 cm
Estimated market value