1865–1885 Czech Garnet and Silver Set Bohemian Master Salt

$2,600.00
An exceptional 19th-century Bohemian master salt, combining carved colorless crystal with lavish garnet-set silver-gilt mounts, executed in the Austro-Hungarian Empire circa 1865–1885. The piece features an elegant navette (marquise)-shaped crystal bowl, deeply carved in a stylized shell motif and supported by a faceted crystal pedestal foot. The bowl is anchored by a dramatic scrolling handle and architectural base, both densely set with over one hundred Bohemian pyrope garnets, creating a rich crimson glow when viewed in natural or candlelight. This form—pedestal-mounted and horizontally oriented—identifies the object as a master salt, intended for shared use at a formal dining table rather than as an individual salt cellar. Objects of this type occupied a prominent position in late 19th-century Central European table settings and were valued as much for their visual splendor as their function. One near-identical example is known in a French antique collection, confirming this as a recognized workshop model rather than a one-off piece, and consistent with Bohemian export production of the period. Materials & Construction Carved colorless crystal (structural bowl and foot) Silver-gilt or heavy gilt metal mounts (unmarked, typical for composite glass objects) Bohemian pyrope garnets, pavé-set throughout Hand-assembled construction Condition: Excellent; no missing elements or damage noted. Provenance: Recovered in England. Dimensions: 2.5" x 4" x 4.25" Check out some of my other mixed sterling silver holloware here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DCSILVERSHOP?ref=search_shop_redirect§ion_id=6783258 Or just browse around the shop! https://www.etsy.com/shop/DCSILVERSHOP
An exceptional 19th-century Bohemian master salt, combining carved colorless crystal with lavish garnet-set silver-gilt mounts, executed in the Austro-Hungarian Empire circa 1865–1885. The piece features an elegant navette (marquise)-shaped crystal bowl, deeply carved in a stylized shell motif and supported by a faceted crystal pedestal foot. The bowl is anchored by a dramatic scrolling handle and architectural base, both densely set with over one hundred Bohemian pyrope garnets, creating a rich crimson glow when viewed in natural or candlelight. This form—pedestal-mounted and horizontally oriented—identifies the object as a master salt, intended for shared use at a formal dining table rather than as an individual salt cellar. Objects of this type occupied a prominent position in late 19th-century Central European table settings and were valued as much for their visual splendor as their function. One near-identical example is known in a French antique collection, confirming this as a recognized workshop model rather than a one-off piece, and consistent with Bohemian export production of the period. Materials & Construction Carved colorless crystal (structural bowl and foot) Silver-gilt or heavy gilt metal mounts (unmarked, typical for composite glass objects) Bohemian pyrope garnets, pavé-set throughout Hand-assembled construction Condition: Excellent; no missing elements or damage noted. Provenance: Recovered in England. Dimensions: 2.5" x 4" x 4.25" Check out some of my other mixed sterling silver holloware here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/DCSILVERSHOP?ref=search_shop_redirect§ion_id=6783258 Or just browse around the shop! https://www.etsy.com/shop/DCSILVERSHOP