Viennese Silver Gilt Rock Crystal Charger

This breathtaking Viennese silver gilt charger is inset with 17 meticulously etched panels of brilliant rock crystal within a silver gilt frame. Classical figures rendered in colorful enamel adorn the rim, along with a border of brilliant green and red stones. The overall effect is dazzling. Displaying the talents of a master goldsmith, jeweler, enamelist and rock crystal sculptor, this charger is a fantastic example of 19th-century craftsmanship at its finest. 

Rock crystal, or pure quartz, has been lauded for centuries for its inherent beauty. Ancient Roman Pliny the Elder found its clarity so impressive that he proclaimed it to be ice that had hardened permanently over millennia. When carved, rock crystal appears far more lustrous than man-made crystal or glass, so much so that it has even been used in place of diamonds. Its brilliance and purity, combined with its relative scarcity, secured rock crystal’s status as one of the most highly valued minerals throughout history. It is used to beautiful effect in the present piece, especially paired with luxurious gilded silver. This charger truly represents the heights of the art form.

Circa 1880

18 3/8“ diameter 2 1/4” high