A SMALL COLLECTION OF ANTIQUE SILVER
AND OBJECTS OF VERTU
silver chamber stick (palmatoria) - Italy
the chamber stick with extended handle is an ancient ecclesiastical item named in Italy 'palmatoria' or
'bugia'.The 'palmatoria' chamberstick is a dish with a sconce (bobeche) on the middle and an elaborate extended handle. It derives its name from the 'palmo della mano' (hand's palm), commonly used to support this object in religious ceremonies where it lighted up the missal to the Service Officiant. Similar 'palmatoria' are present on the 'treasure' of many Italian Cathedrals.
This 'palmatoria' stands on three elaborate 'rococo' feet with a 'bobeche' decorated with floral engravings of 18th century taste.
It is a mix of silversmithing techniques, ranging from: casting (on the feet and the bobeche), embossing (the dish), engraving (on the bobeche) and chiseling (on the handle).
It has silversmith's hallmark (an horse over letters IL into a lozenge) but no town mark. I evaluate it was made by a North Italy's silversmith on late 18th century/beginning of 19th century (ecclesiastical silver had exemption from payment of duty and often had no town mark).
Another hypothesis is that this item may be a recent reproduction on antique style made in Italy by an unknown silversmith (possibly of Milan). I saw two quite similar "palmatoria" bearing modern marks (about 1950/1960) of the well known silversmith Messulam Enrico, Milano (32MI inside a lozenge and "800").
The chamber stick is 11 in. wide (cm. 28) and was bought from an Italian dealer at an Antique Fair.
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This is a page of 'The What is? Silver Dictionary' of A Small Collection of Antique Silver and Objects of vertu, a 1500 pages richly illustrated website offering all you need to know about antique silver, sterling silver, silverplate, Sheffield plate, electroplate silver, silverware, flatware, tea services and tea complements, marks and hallmarks, articles, books, auction catalogs, famous silversmiths (Tiffany, Gorham, Jensen, Elkington), history, oddities ...
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This is a page of 'The What is? Silver Dictionary' of A Small Collection of Antique Silver and Objects of vertu, a 1500 pages richly illustrated website offering all you need to know about antique silver, sterling silver, silverplate, Sheffield plate, electroplate silver, silverware, flatware, tea services and tea complements, marks and hallmarks, articles, books, auction catalogs, famous silversmiths (Tiffany, Gorham, Jensen, Elkington), history, oddities ...