Wine cradle
Unknown Artist
19th century
Medium
Silver on base metal
Dimensions
Width: 16 1/2 in. (41.9 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Electrotype
Culture
British, after German, Danzig original
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Henry G. Marquand, 1883
Accession Number
83.18.264
Art Historical Context
This elegant wine cradle, a 19th-century British electrotype reproduction of a German original from Danzig (-day Gdańsk), exemplifies the's fascination with reviving historical craftsmanship. Measuring 16½ inches wide, it was designed to cradle wine bottles or decanters horizontally, sediment disturbance during service—a practical luxury for affluent dining tables. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts, it entered the collection as a gift from Henry. Marquand in 3. Crafted in silver over base metal via the innovative electrotype proces...