Crystal shell cup on foot
Unknown Artist
second half 19th century
Medium
Quartz cut on the wheel.
Dimensions
H. 11.7 cm, l. 11.5 cm, w. 8.5 cm
Classification
Jewelry, Precious Metals and Precious Stones
Culture
Western Europe, probably Austria or Germany
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.1500
Art Historical Context
Behold the *Crystal Shell Cup on Foot*, a mesmerizing gem from the second half of the th century, crafted in Western Europe—likely Austria or Germany. petite treasure, standing just 11.7 cm tall with a length of 11.5 cm and of 8.5 cm, transforms a single block of quartz into a lifelike nautilus shell perched elegantly on a slender foot. Its classification within Jewelry, Precious Metals, and Precious Stones underscores its status as a virtuoso display of lapidary artistry, evoking the opulent collector's cabinets of the Victorian era. The medium—quartz meticulously cut on the wheel—highlights...