16 May 2010

Nautilus cup

I wonder if the relief elements of the design are carved into the shell, or whether they are created with some sort of applique?

Found at bmljenny's photostream, via Couleurs.

1 comment:

  1. It appears that both may be the case. The vine element to the right of center appears to be a casting perhaps of gold, while the other surfaces of the cup appear to have been carved. This was a big deal amongst German silversmiths and jewelers, both of whom had the skills to do both intricate castings and intricate carvings of nautilus shells, ostrich eggs and other "natural" materials.

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