French Gilded Silver Chalice with Precious Stones and Inscription

• Circa - A Latin term meaning 'about', often used in the antique trade to give an approximate date for the piece, usually considered to be five years on either side of the circa year. Thus, circa 1900 means the piece was made about 1900, probably between 1895 and 1905. The expression is sometimes abbreviated to c.1900.
• Gilding - Gilding is a method of ornamentation whereby a thin sheet of gold metal is applied to items made of wood, leather, ceramics, glass and silver for decorative purposes.
  
  For furniture including mirrors, the sheet of gold is usually applied over a coating of gesso. Gesso is a mixture of plaster of Paris and gypsum mixed with water and then applied to the carved wooden frames of mirrors and picture frames as a base for applying the gold leaf. After numerous coats of gesso have been applied, allowed to dry and then sanded a coat of "bole", a usually red coloured mixture of clay and glue is brushed on and allowed to dry, after which the gold leaf is applied. Over time parts of the gilding will rub off so the base colour can be seen. In water gilding, this was generally a blue colour, while in oil gilding, the under layer was often yellow. In Victorian times, gilders frequently used red as a pigment beneath the gold leaf.
  
  Metal was often gilded by a process known as fire gilding. Gold mixed with mercury was applied and heated, causing the mercury to evaporate, the long-term effect of which was to kill or disable the craftsman or woman from mercury poisoning. The pursuit of beauty has claimed many victims, not the least of which were the artists who made those pieces so highly sought after today.
• Chalice - A chalice is a large cup or goblet that is used in religious ceremonies, particularly in Christian liturgical traditions. It is typically made of precious metal such as gold or silver, and is used to hold wine during the Eucharist, which is the central sacrament of the Christian Church. The chalice is also called the "cup of salvation" and is a symbol of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross.
  
  In the Christian tradition, the chalice is a symbol of the blood of Jesus Christ, which is offered to the faithful as a means of grace and salvation. The chalice is used to hold the wine that is consecrated during the Eucharist and is considered to be a sacred object.
  
  In the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist, it's passed around to the faithful, and the believer drinks from it to partake in the sacrament. Chalices are also used in other liturgical celebrations such as baptism, confirmation and anointing of the sick.
  
  Chalices come in different shapes and sizes, from simple cups to highly ornate and decorative vessels, some of them are adorned with precious stones and intricate engravings. Chalices can also be used for other purposes, such as for holding holy water for baptism, or for the distribution of ashes on Ash Wednesday.
• Lapis Lazuli - Lapis lazuli is a semi-precious deep blue coloured stone, sometimes with gold inclusions, that has been used for thousands of years for jewellery, decorative items and decoration.
  
  It is mined in Afghanistan, Siberia, Chile, USA and Burma. The mines in north-eastern Afghanistan are the largest source of lapis lazuli, and have been operating for over 6,000 years.
  
  They were the source of the stone for the ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman civilsations.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• chalices and urns - silver items 115
• silver, country of manufacture - French 348