A beautiful Portuguese chased silver oval dish
Inscribed with possibly the maker’s initials AMB, 2nd quarter 18th century

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Chased all-over with scrolling motifs of acanthus leaves and bunches of grapes, in the heightened oval centre of the plate an exotic bird with spread wings sitting on a branch holding a vine in his beak.

 

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L. 38.5 x H. 3 cm

Weight 590 grams

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The Baroque-style with Italian influence was prevalent during the reign of João V, the Great-hearted, o Magnânimo, also known as the Portuguese Sun King, Rei-Sol Português. His long reign, from 1706 until 1750, was a time of relative tranquillity and prosperity due to an influx of gold and silver from Brazil. Portuguese silver from the 18th century was seldomly marked and if it was, only with town marks, mostly with L for Lisbon or P for Porto. So far only the initials AM and TC are known and are unidentified maker’s marks.