Covered Schwarzlot Goblet with Medallions of Vanity and Time

This rare covered goblet depicts the passage of time, or stages of life, in three medallions circling both the body and cover of the vessel. The Schwarzlot technique was limited to a small region of Germany, and was often a cottage industry. It used a black enamel that was applied, then the details of the design were scratched away with a needle prior to firing. The metal band around the stem is not original to this work.