Rare Louis XIV Period Embossed & Chiseled Solid Silver Incense Shuttle

SILVERWARE XVIIIth cty

Rare incense shuttle on pedestal from Louis XIV period, richly embossed and chiselled with gadroons, foliage and escutcheons typical of this period (late 17th or early 18th century)
This lithurgical silverware item is elegant because of its slenderness and the volumes of its strong relief decoration. Backgrounds are still largely and finely chiseled in order to further amplify its decorative register.

This solid silver item has anonymous origin cause any original hallmark, uncontrolled and located, like often for this kind of items, but 2 identical apocryphal hallmarks have been affixed superimposed, with a swan on a circle or oval. This hallmark, created in 1893, was specially intended for antique goldsmith's pieces that were not originaally hallmarked, and to certify a minimum guaranteed content of 800 thousandths.

The piece is in very good condition - some understandable wear and use for a piece of this period: no sinking of the pedestal or twisting of the hinge of the lid, perfectly aligned. All the parts of the shuttle are original and born together, from the cut end of the cover used for gripping to the socket turned at its top, or its pedestal.

Sizes
14cm Height * 18cm Length and 6.5cm Width  

Louis XIV period Incense shuttles, and generaly from full 18th century, are already extremely rare in brass, let alone solid silver made.
These silverware items from this period are indeed few to have survived the policy of successive 17th and 18th cty monarchies of casting precious materials, in particular to finance the splendour of the Court and the policy of military conquests.
Its lithurgical function also explains its very good condition, as these were pieces that were given special care.