Unusual small sized moulded salver of jagged cut–out lip, decorated in cobalt-blue pigment on tin-white enamel. Within the decagonal central section a flower and foliage crown encircling a cartouche monogrammed “T S”, often present in pieces associated to the city of Hamburg or to the Hanseatic League, the whole composition framed by a band of parallel vertical stripes.
On the lip a sequence of ten cut-out sections alternating artemisia leaves and peaches, separated by small columns with bows and seals. On the reverse, five polygonal sections of Chinese Ming – Wanli inspiration, filled by simple stylised floral detailing and a circular raised foot encircled by parallel blue filleting.
This rare salver, similar to other pieces of identical decoration in Portuguese collections, was originally produced for export to the German Hamburg market as evidenced by the “T S” monogram and the foliage crown, both details repeated in a bottle made in Lisbon and dated to circa 1648, that can be seen at the Museum für Kunst und Gewerb in Hamburg (Inv. nº 1930.102).
The salver’s shape alludes to 17th century Portuguese silver footed salvers and its decoration, of clear hybridisation, reflects the blending of a strong Kraak matrix, on the lip, with a monogram framed by a foliage crown in the Northern European taste.
For similar piece see: BAUCHE, Ulrich, Lissabon – Hamburg Fayenceimport Für Den Norden, Hamburg, Museum Für Kunst und Gewwerbe, 1996, p. 43, fig. 26.