Bulbous ornamental pot with lid, Milan, 1580-1585. Rock crystal, gold, enamel. H 25,7 cm, weight: 607 g. V 197. Green Vault © Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden 2013

For precious inventory of the electoral treasury in Dresden Castle was a collection of 42 vessels of rock crystal. However, the descriptions in the inventory of 1586/87 fall mostly very short, so that an unambiguous identification with still preserved today in the Green Vault pieces is often no longer possible. Whether the bulbous vessel shown here with a white enamel flower on the cover once adorned with decorative pipes to that group of five "Chritsalin glaß above Spizig to lids with small, knopfichen gulden it with Laubwerck" counted, can therefore only be suspected. Following this assumption, it would be given a secure terminus post quem for the dating of rock crystal vessel. With its original, but quite peculiar decor, which is formed from a plurality of raised cut, closely spaced segments together in the form of drops, the vessel occupies a singular position in the mountain style crystal components of the Green Vault. Secured with rock crystal work of Saracchi or Miseroni in Milan, it can not compare to. A typical Milanese goldsmith is the golden mount ring with black enamel ornaments and red enamel oval boxes that mimic ruby stocking.