BESANÇON late 16th century: 1569 - 1572 - Lot 84

BESANÇON late 16th century: 1569 - 1572 Complete silver "demi-ceint" belt with articulated links. Two rings in the middle of the belt allow small objects to be suspended, such as amulets, scented apples or aumônières, which serve as ballast for the belt. On either side of each of these rings, poly-lobed medallions decorated with scrolls and putti heads receive a niello decoration in the central part, as does the clasp. The master goldsmith's hallmark is stamped on the reverse of the hook used to fasten the waistband. Gross weight: 120 g - length: 1 meter Spectrometer : Ag: 93, Cu: 6.1, Au: 0.4, Pb: 0.4 Master silversmith: Pierre DUCHEMIN, initials PD, different from a blessing hand Works by this Protestant silversmith are known from as early as 1536, and it seems he was commissioned by both the city and the clergy to produce either works, such as a statuette of Saint John for the cathedral, or repairs on a statue of Charles V. Due to persecution during the Wars of Religion, he left the city in 1538 for Lausanne, from where he did not return until 1569. In October 1572 - the year of St. Bartholomew's Day - he was sought out, and a confrere declared "that he had left home a fortnight earlier.... "... Similar works : - BESANÇON, Musée des Beaux-Arts et d'Archéologie: reproduced in Solange BRAULT LERCH, Les orfèvres de Franche-Comté in plate XVI: "Un demi-ceint d'argent émaillé et un demi-ceint d'argent (ancienne collection de l'abbé Bouhélier....) - Maître orfèvre : Charles Vauderet, Besançon, vers 1600 - 1620". "Pl XVI : Demi-ceint, circa 1600 - 1620 : fragment of a belt trim. L.: 0.225 m. The hallmark of Charles 1er Vauderet, Besançon silversmith in the early 17th century, marks two of the silver chain's clasps, decorated with flowers and masks with enamel highlights (Musée de Besançon). And a half-ounce of silver, former collection of Abbé Bouhélier, according to Jules GAUTHIER and Abbé Paul BRUNE: Etude sur l'orfèvrerie en Franche-Comté du VIIe au XVIII, in Bull. arch. Com. Trav. Hist et scient. 1900, p. 287 - 372 and separate edition. " ECOUEN, Musée de la Renaissance: reproduced in Julie ROHOU & François SEGUIN, page 77, "Ceinture, Trésor de la Vôge, France or Germany, circa 1580 - 1600, inv. Ec. 2077 b." This treasure trove of civil silverware was discovered in 2017, and comprises two belts, two cups, five spoons and a salt cellar, acquired by the Musée de la Renaissance in 2019. Works consulted: - Jacques HELFT, Le poinçon des provinces françaises, Ed. F. de NOBELE, 1985 - Solange BRAULT-LERCH, Les orfèvres de Franche-Comté, Ed. librairie Droz, Genève - Henry-René d'Allemagne, Les accessoires du Costume et du Mobilier - Tome II - Henri CLOUZOT, Metal Arts - pages 452 and 463 - Julie ROHOU & François SEGUIN, Bijoux du quotidien : Un trésor picard redécouvert - in Les cahiers du Musée National de la Renaissance