George III sterling silver goblet

Georgian silver goblet with fluting around the lower portion of the bowl and surmounted by a highly decorative hand-chased band of scrolling foliage, set nicely against a mottled ground.

With its flat base, thin stem and conical bowl, the basic goblet shape has remained almost entirely unchanged in its form for centuries. When made in silver the goblet is often called a wine cup.

In the mid-fifteenth century the gentry owned goblets crafted in silver. Superstitious drinkers in the seventeenth century believed that precious metals promoted better health, and so the demand for silver goblets increased. The arrival of silver plate in the mid 1800s meant that more people could afford to introduce a bit of luxury into their lifestyle.