Of all treasure trove, those of gold and silver are the most valuable, showing us the riches, culture and the decorative arts of the people who centuries ago used these beautiful objects of jewellery or of utility. One of the earliest and most valuable of these treasures was found in 1859 with the mummy of Queen Aah-Hotep, 1800 B.C. (Cairo Museum), and consisted of: bracelets, armlets, rings, chains, a diadem (fig. 1), a small model of a twelve-oared war galley, and a poniard, all of exquisite workmanship, and of pure gold, enriched with jasper and turquoise vitreous pastes. At Petrossa in 1837 (Bukarest Museum), twenty-two beautiful gold objects were found, but only twelve were recovered, consisting of two neck-rings or Torques; a large salver, hammered and chased; a ewer; a bowl with figures in repoussÉ; four fibula enriched with precious stones; a gorget; and two double-handled cups (fig. 4) all of which are Byzantine work of the 5th century. At Guarrazar in Spain, ten gold votive crowns of Gothic workmanship were found; one inscribed with the name of King Suintila, 630 A.D., is now in the museum at Madrid, the others in the HÔtel Cluny, Paris, the largest having the name of King Rescesvinthus, 670 A.D. in pendive letters (fig. 3). Of silversmith’s work, the most important is the “Treasure of Hildesheim,” found in 1868 (now in the Berlin Museum) consisting of thirty objects, cups, vases, and dishes, beautiful in contour and admirably enriched with delicate repoussÉ work of the Greco-Roman period (fig. 5). The British Museum contains many fine examples of Greek and Etruscan goldsmith’s art; some early Greek work has the typical MycenÆ spiral enrichment. Beautiful Greek plaques of the 4th and 5th centuries B.C. were obtained by pressing the gold into stone moulds, and were afterwards enriched with threads of gold or “filigree,” which developed later into the Byzantine filigree work.

The beautiful Etruscan FibulÆ are enriched with minute globules of gold soldered on, a process brought to a remarkable degree of perfection by the Etruscans in the 7th, 6th and 5th centuries B.C. Of the gold and silver vessels used by Solomon in the temple, we have the description in the Books of Kings and Chronicles, but no trace of the originals, except that on the Arch of Titus, 79 A.D., we find a representation of the seven-branched golden candlestick (fig. 9). Of the MediÆval period, many fine examples of church and corporation plate are still treasured in our museums. They are of great intrinsic value, of beautiful workmanship, chased and engraved, and enriched with cast and repoussÉ work and the choicest enamels. Of the craftsman or goldsmith we know but little, but his delicacy of touch, his just appreciation of appropriateness of treatment to his material, and the singular grace and charm of his design are a tribute to his culture and personality. Cellini produced many beautiful works, yet perhaps not more beautiful than his many contemporary goldsmiths. In our museums there are some charming specimens of engraving upon silver, filled in with black enamel called Niello, by Maso Finiguerre, about 1450, who produced some early prints from an engraved plate.