Benjamin Gignac
British, born 1713; mark entered 1745
Salver
1746/47
This large salver is remarkable both for its size and its elaborate decoration. The outer rim is ornamented with vines, grapes, scallop shells, and the faces of classical gods associated with the seasons. Patterns hammered into the flat portion of the salver include curling vegetation, which shelters tiny birds and squirrels. These patterns were practical as well as decorative: they helped disguise scratches from regular wear and tear that might otherwise have disfigured the silver.
| Medium | silver |
| Dimensions | 2 1/16 x 29 1/2 x 22 3/16 in. (5.2 x 74.9 x 56.4 cm) Troy weight: 232.35 toz (7226.9 g) |
| Object Number | 1955.244 |
| Acquisition | Acquired by Sterling and Francine Clark before 1955 |
| Status | On View |
Image Caption
Benjamin Gignac, Salver, 1746/47, silver. Clark Art Institute, 1955.244
Select Bibliography
Wees, Beth Carver. "English Silver in an American Museum: The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute." Silver Society Journal 4 (Autumn 1993):115–23.
Wees, Beth Carver. English, Irish, and Scottish Silver at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute. New York: Hudson Hills Press, 1997.
