Gold and silverware figured prominently among the precious objects collected by great families. Beneath the appearance of articles of everyday use lay authentic treasures. This ewer and basin of gilded silver, also known as vermeil, were produced in Danzig as a gift for a wedding between scions of the two noble families whose armorial bearings are engraved on the basin. The exuberance of the ornamentation is typical of late Renaissance Mannerism.