During the sixteenth century the art of metal working in Germany, especially at Nuremberg, Swabian Augsburg, and Lübeck, reached a high state of perfection under the great patronage of wealthy families, such as the Fugger family, of Augsburg, and others. Holbein, and other German, Dutch, and Flemish artists, worked in England, and besides much German and Flemish Renaissance work found its way into England, and influenced in a great degree the style of the metal work of this country.
In addition to the gold and silver plate of the kings’ palaces and of private families, corporations and colleges accumulated great quantities of plate, and before banks were properly established, gold and silver plate and jewellery were the chief store of wealth that could, when necessary, be easily converted into money.
King Henry VII. had a service of plate valued at twenty thousand pounds. This monarch employed the Italian sculptor and goldsmith, Torrigiano, and other foreign artists.
Henry VIII. also employed many Italian and German artists and goldsmiths, and it is believed that Cellini executed some of his finest jewellery for this king.
Not only Henry VIII., but his great lords and ministers, had extensive collections of plate. Cardinal Wolsey had a large safe or cupboard, barred all round for protection, in which was displayed a goodly show of gold cups and other sumptuous vessels for use at his table.
Fig. 171.—Apostle Spoons; 1566; at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. (C.)
“Apostle spoons” were made at this and subsequent periods, and were so called from their having little figures of the Apostles modelled on the tops of the handles (Fig. 171).
Fig. 172—Silver-gilt German Cup; Sixteenth Century.