60 
House & Garden 
“Nuestra Senora de Covadonga” 
Spanish Plate Ship, 1740. 
By E. W. Ottie 
Exhibited 
International Congress of Chambers of Commerce 
Copley-Plaza Hotel, Boston, Mass. 
September 1912. 
After beating round Cape Horn in winter weather, after 
the loss of five out of six ships, after months of weary 
watching and cruising. Commodore George Anson in the 
"Centurion” captured the Manila treasure ship "Nuestra 
Senora de Covadonga” off Cape Espiritu Santo on June 
20th, 1743. 
A well-built model of such a vessel calls up a host of 
memories of the “Invincible Armada,” of Drake and 
Hawkins, of gold and fame and empires won by bold 
and hazardous enterprises. 
Further Information on Request 
E. W. OTTIE 
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 
Atelier: 8 College Circle, West Somerville, Mass. 
SILVER of the CONQUISTADOR ES 
ALIDA F. SIMS 
I N the year 1704, in the ancient town 
of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Don 
Diego de Vargas Zapata Lujan 
Ponce de Leon, marques de la Nava de 
Brazinas, made a will in which he in¬ 
structed that his attorney “remit or 
sell at the best obtainable prices the 
following silverware”. 
This is the first record extant of the 
silver of the Spanish Conquistadores 
of Mexico. That there was a great 
quantity of it we know, for there is 
much that is still being unearthed. The 
wealth of historical color and romance 
brought to light by the study of this 
old plate is fascinating and delightful, 
and the collection of remaining speci¬ 
mens has not only proven an absorbing 
hobby to the owners of the beautiful 
examples illustrated here, but has pre¬ 
served priceless historical treasures and 
invaluable additions to the silversmith’s 
art. 
How It Was Brought 
These beautiful implements, hand 
hammered of purest blue lighted silver, 
shining with the inimitably soft lustre 
of centuries of use, are products of a 
day when table ware was made to last. 
Every Spanish Don brought with him 
to the new world a complete silver 
service, including plates, drinking gob¬ 
lets, tankards, and even shaving bowls 
and wash basins; all of which were 
packed on mule back as the Conquista¬ 
dores advanced from place to place. 
The weight must have been very 
great as the silver is all massive, one 
of the coffee cups alone weighing a 
pound. De Vargas’ will describes simi¬ 
lar cups as follows: “Twelve silver 
porringers which weigh twelve ounces, 
sealed with my coat of arms, the one- 
fifth part taken (the exact meaning of 
this last is not certain).” And again, , 
“One large silver fountain, engraved, 
one-fifth part taken, and weighing 
twenty-three marks.” 
What visions of luxury in mud huts, 
of fiery Spanish gentlemen, and gazelle¬ 
eyed “encantadores” they conjure up! 
Practically all of the old Spanish gran¬ 
dees’ families are represented in this 
collection, many pieces dating from the 
16th Century. They were gathered 
throughout the area occupied by the 
Conquistadores, from convents, from 
scrapheaps, and from the descendants 
of these ancient families, far “firster” 
than those of Mayflower tradition. 
Quantities of this silver have been de¬ 
stroyed, melted down by the hundred- 
(Continued on page 62) 
These plates are deep, which made them admirably adapted 
to the consistency of the Spanish dishes. The ducal coronet 
of the Chaves family is seen on some of them 
