International studio (23.1904)

Some Ancient Wedding-Coffers



GERMAN WEDDING-COFFER

painting is more original than beautiful, and not
the sort of wedding colfer to present to a nervous
bride.
Another Italian coffer of about the same period
is also to be seen at the South Kensington
Museum. It is made of wood overlaid with
plaster, in which is moulded a kind of medireval
marriage procession. The relief is decidedly
unique, and shows the bride and bridegroom
about to be joined together in holy matrimony.
The gentleman who is performing the ceremony
appears to be rather amused than otherwise, for
his countenance wears an expression hardly con-
sistent with the solemnity of
the occasion. The bride’s
father stands with folded
arms and a somewhat stern
expression of countenance,
while the mother is evi-
dently showing some signs
of grief. A procession of
gentlemen in short skirts
and carrying what appear
to be dishes of blanc-
mange (probably intended
for the wedding feast) is
seen marching through a
forest of prize daisies,
while a couple of trumpet-
ers are shown sounding
a fanfare of congratulation.
For this remarkable wed-
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ding-coffer the sum of g,20
was paid.
Another chest in the
same museum, but not il-
lustrated here, is worthy of
notice, being decidedly
novel and unique in de-
sign. It is made of a
dark wood, probably wal-
nut, and ornamented with
gilt nails. The design is a
beautiful one in scroll work,
and the number of nails
used exceeds 3,000. If
one so desired, it would be
easy to make a dower-chest
of this description, the
only stock-in-trade required
being a fairly solid chest,
sixteenth century a number of pretty brass-
headed nails, and a fair
amount of artistic taste.
One seen recently by the writer was quite as
effective as the one described, and was the
entire work of a lady who had a taste for
carving and carpentry. Instead of putting nails
at the sides and front of the coffer, however,
she inserted carved panels, which added to the
general effect. The whole chest, she affirmed,
cost no more than five pounds.
Our next illustration shows a very fine example
of Indian work. This coffer, which is not very
large (probably owing to the fact that the trousseaux
of Indian princesses are made almost entirely of
silk and consequently do not take up much room)

TURKISH WEDDING-COFFER

EIGHTEENTH CENTURY