Nautilus shell cup with cover 19th century

Elkington & Co. crafted this Nautilus shell cup with cover, a testament to the Victorian fascination with naturalia transformed into objects of art. The eye is immediately drawn to the interplay between the lustrous, creamy shell and the intricately worked, gilded metal that forms the bird's body and base. The composition here is intriguing. The smooth, organic curves of the nautilus provide a stark contrast to the textured, almost baroque detailing of the gold. The shell, in its original form, speaks of the ocean's depths, a creation of nature. Yet, when combined with the bird form, it creates a striking tension. The gilded metal, with its detailed feathers and ornate base, could be seen as an attempt to impose order and human artistry onto the shell's natural form. This tension destabilizes the established categories between the natural and the artificial, questioning where one begins and the other ends. It invites us to ponder the Victorian era’s broader philosophical concerns about nature, artifice, and the human desire to classify and control the natural world.