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 Guess what this is
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| Author | Topic: Guess what this is |
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Ulysses Dietz Moderator Posts: 1265 |
posted 01-28-2011 02:37 PM
  
[01-2901] I know some of you will know what this is right away...but thought it would be fun. Surely it's coin, of a type. A little over three inches high and seven inches across the handles. IP: Logged |
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Polly Posts: 1970 |
posted 01-29-2011 10:42 PM
Well, nobody else is answering (maybe you all know the answer already and are politely waiting for us ignoramuses to guess), so I will break the ice and guess that whatever it's supposed to be used for, it's made out of a large silver coin, raised into a cup. Is that a crazy guess? IP: Logged |
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bascall Posts: 1629 |
posted 01-29-2011 11:32 PM
From what I am seeing it is known as a skyphos cup or a drinking vessel. IP: Logged |
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agphile Posts: 798 |
posted 01-30-2011 04:13 PM
I agree with Bascall. I guess late Hellenistic/early Roman. It would be interesting to know its provenance. How about a counter question? Obviously another two handled cup, but where would you expect to find numbers of them? IP: Logged |
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agleopar Posts: 850 |
posted 01-30-2011 09:08 PM
I am no expert on these lovely old, old things so on the first I'll go with Roman but a little later?? on the second Ox Eye for a name and Scottish??? Both are great for some double fisted hard core tippling. IP: Logged |
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adelapt Posts: 418 |
posted 01-30-2011 09:39 PM
On the first, I think it's a design from ancient Greece or adjacent Mediterranean. The later cup is an "ox-eye", and I would expect to see one at an Oxford University college, were I lucky enough to be allowed in. IP: Logged |
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agphile Posts: 798 |
posted 01-31-2011 09:51 AM
As regards the first cup, my understanding is that this was indeed a Greek or Hellenistic form, but one that continued into the days of the Roman Empire – there is at least one among the silver found at Pompeii, for example. Now it only needs Ulysses to confirm whether we are right and perhaps tell us a little more about this particular cup. And yes, the second is an Oxford ox eye. Fellows and gentlemen commoners were expected to donate some silver on admission to their college and this commonly took the form of an ox eye cup. Surviving examples are mainly 17th and 18th century. Gentleman commoner was a status reserved for the nobility, or perhaps the very rich, which was much the same thing in those days. At a cost the gentleman commoner student was entitled to certain privileges such as dining at high table, rather than with hoi polloi in the main body of the hall, and the eventual award of a degree without the irritation of having to be examined first. This probably helped to bring the old universities into academic disrepute until the system was reformed but doubtless helped college finances as well as leaving some delightful pieces of silver for future generations to enjoy. [This message has been edited by agphile (edited 02-08-2011).] IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 01-31-2011 06:21 PM
The skyphos cups I have seen in museums seem to be more elaborate that this one. I also understand there was a rash of reproductions made in the 1800s for gentlemen on the grand tour to acquire in Greece and Italy. Is this an original one or a later reproduction? IP: Logged |
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Ulysses Dietz Moderator Posts: 1265 |
posted 02-04-2011 04:15 PM
You guys are too smart. It is Roman, first century AD--and as you say, for two fisted, but genteel drinking. It was purchased not all that long ago by our curator of antiquities, who is retired. I don't know its history off the top of my head, but you can be sure we vetted it as to authenticity and provenance. I just love the fact that it is so clearly what it is--the word skyphos makes it seem exotic, but anyone who knows silver can tell what it is, sort of. Yay silver. IP: Logged |
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Kimo Posts: 1627 |
posted 02-08-2011 05:16 PM
By pure chance, last night I was watching the new second season of the Starz Cable Channel special series 'Spartacus: Gods of the Arena' Episode 2, and there in the middle of the show was a scene in which a skyphos looking exactly like this one was being used prominently by the principle actors. For anyone who has not seen this series I highly recommend it as being very artistically well made and realistic (unlike the Hollywood movie) though I need to give advance warning that for anyone with delicate sensitivities it may not be to your taste as it is quite graphic and depicts Roman life in a most historically accurate way. IP: Logged |
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Polly Posts: 1970 |
posted 02-08-2011 08:23 PM
I recently saw a vessel in that style, with (if I'm remembering correctly) Gorham marks, being offered for sale online somewhere. Some sort of historical revival? IP: Logged |
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wessex96 Posts: 56 |
posted 02-09-2011 02:30 AM
Maybe this is what you were thinking of, Polly - it reminded me of it. This particular vessel was advertised late last year. It was made by Gorham in England and has hallmarks for 1913.  IP: Logged |
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