The Pressburg Cup
- Gallery: Room 2a
- Maker: Hans Petzolt
- Made in: Nuremberg
- Date: 1600 (circa)
- Object type: standing cup
- Materials: silver
- Museum number: WB.104
- Museum: The British Museum
- Collection record: British Museum website
- Image © The Trustees of the British Museum, shared under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licence.
Listen to the free audio guide
About this object
Before you is "The Pressburg Cup," a tall standing cup and cover crafted in silver-gilt around 1600 in Nuremberg. The cup is a masterpiece of Renaissance craftsmanship, designed by Hans Petzolt. You’ll notice the bowl is narrowed in the middle and decorated with bands of petal-like shapes and engraved cartouches. Below, similar designs with raised bosses continue the rhythmic pattern.
The stem features scroll brackets and relief figures—three small figures alternate with carved goat heads, giving a dynamic feel. At the base is a foot with two rows of bosses linked by more engraved designs. The cover mirrors these intricate details, and atop it stands a bearded horseman wearing a costume from around 1600.
Look closely at the rim—you’ll find marks identifying Nuremberg and Petzolt’s signature. Also present is a Hebrew inscription, which notes the cup was owned by a Jewish charitable society in Pressburg (today Bratislava) around 1740. This elegant object has a rich journey through time and hands—proof of a changing world and enduring artistry.
See it in person
The Pressburg Cup is on display in Room 2a at the British Museum on Great Russell Street, Bloomsbury, London — free to enter. Choose British Museum on audioguide.london and take a photo of it to hear this free audio guide in six languages — no app download needed.
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