A rare late 17th- to early 18th-century turned horn gaming cup, formed as a frusto-conical lidded box with a carrying handle and screw cap. Inside sits a horn beaker with its small lid and button-shaped grip, creating a compact and highly tactile object once associated with gaming, travel, or cabinet curiosity.
The horn has a rich amber-brown translucency, with darker mottling, natural irregularities and a deep aged patina. Its wear, small losses, surface marks and minor accidents are consistent with a very old object of this material. Horn was historically valued as a “natural plastic” and was used for beakers, utensils and decorative objects into the 18th century.
From an old Portuguese manor house, this is a striking Haute Époque collector’s piece: modest in scale, but full of historical character, ideal for a cabinet of curiosities, library, study or antique games collection.
Measurements
Height: 20 cm
Upper diameter: 9 cm
Lower diameter: 6 cm
Weight: 0.516 kg
