A LATE 19TH CENTURY EGYPTIAN SILVER GOBLET, CAIRO, CIRCA 189...

Estimate

£500 - £750

A LATE 19TH CENTURY EGYPTIAN SILVER GOBLET, CAIRO, CIRCA 1890
BY MARKAR GULIAN
Of rounded circular form, the goblet is set on a knopped stem and features a detachable, spreading circular foot. The body is adorned with finely executed flat-chased decoration of rosette bands, reflecting the refined craftsmanship of the period.
Marked to the side with the maker’s mark and standard mark ٩٠.

Height – 13.4 cm / 5.3 inches
Weight – 180 grams / 5.79 ozt

During the period of the ‘Veiled Protectorate’ of the British Empire over Egypt, from 1882, certain Egyptian silver marks were employed by Armenian silversmiths.
The lion passant mark, a rare feature, is believed to have been introduced during the reign of Khedive Abbas Helmy II (1892–1914), following the enactment of a second precious metals law. This law supplemented the earlier Gashanjy Law (1847), established under Khedive Abbas I, which was the first to regulate precious metal standards. The later legislation sought to formalise the marking process and set minimum silver standards of 900/800/600/450, though marking remained non-compulsory.
However, Kurkman, G. (1996) in Ottoman Silver Marks (Istanbul: Mathusalem, p.61) suggests that these lion marks were already in use during the reigns of Sultan Abdulmejid I (1839–1861) and Sultan Abdulaziz (1861–1876), indicating that the lion mark likely originated as early as 1847.
This marking system predates 1916, when reforms made hallmarking compulsory. The lion symbol for silver was replaced by the cat, and the standing ibis was introduced for gold. The silver standards were maintained, except for the abolition of the 450 standard, and a date letter system was implemented.