Spice tower. Silver, apparently not hallmarked. Filigree work. Lemberg/Germany, beginning of the 18th century.
Large, impressive tower. 39 cm. tall. Maximal width of 5 cm.
Rich filigree work with a number of layers of silver threads, floral designs along its entire length. Vestiges of gilt. Three ‘levels’: Wide bottom ‘house’, with a ‘porch’, surrounded by four flowers and a small unique, original lock. Topped by four marbles and four flags; The middle ‘house’ has 4 windows with a bell inside. It is also surrounded by a porch Above the upper house is a flagpole with a ball topped by a large, wide flag like towers from the 18th century; a man blowing a horn at the top of the flagpole. The bell within the ‘house’ for the spices and the lock for the door are characteristic of the era.
Light dent in the base. The middle house is a little loose. Small losses at the edges of the flags and the upper ‘porch’. Overall very fine condition. Filigree spice towers from this era in such fine condition are very rare.
This is an impressive, original spice tower that was rescued by a Dutch family from Nazi hands after the Second World War. Museum piece.