DOI Heft:
No. 138 (September, 1904)
DOI Artikel:Jones, Francis Arthur: Some ancient wedding-coffers
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.19882#0331
Some Ancient Wedding-Coffers
divided and folds back, the
clamps forming the hinges
being of burnished brass.
It differs from others of Ger-
man make, to which we have
already alluded, by reason
of its being raised from the
ground by means of four
rather clumsy legs. This
coffer may also be seen at
South Kensington, having
been bought in 1872 for the
sum of £\o.
The next coffer we are able
to illustrate is from the gallery
spanish wedding-coffer fifteenth century 0 j
above the vestibule in Ham
House. It came originally
is made of wood overlaid with black mastic, in from Turkey, and dates back to the eighteenth
which are embedded bits of mother-of-pearl in century. The body of the chest is of wood—■
fioreated Oriental pattern. The work is of what kind it is difficult to say—which is covered
the sixteenth or seven- with decoration in
teenth century, and the ^ggc. ■jam&mmw*' painted and gilded
coffer is said to have SMHHHHHS^BjtfHHHHpp gesso-work. The design
been imported by the is beautiful and effec-
Portuguese from India. tive. It is provided
It was bought by the *a^^H with a lock of curious
authorities of the South HKw | mechanism, the key of
Kensington Museum in 1 -IIHBHPMmF^^i' which, unfortunately,
1866 for the modest ' ■ ^Mi^HiB^BBBi^^Mili has been lost. It stands
sum of 8s. $d. If , . . . j about six inches from
purchased at an auction r" the ground on six
(which is probable), and \~ roughly carved legs,
the bids advanced by The coffer next shown
pennies (which is open dutch wedding-coffer fifteenth century ;s somewhat gcclesias-
to doubt), this would tical in design, and may
account for the odd fivepence. In shape it is have been a gift from a dignitary of the Church
quadrangular, the lid being bevelled. Curiously to some near relation. It is made of solid oak,
enough, the back of the coffer is handsomer than the front and sides being elaborately carved
the front, which accounts
for its having been photo-
graphed in the position
shown in our illustration.
The coffer next shown is
of German make and dates
back to the early part
of the sixteenth century.
It is fairly commodious
and capable of holding the
trousseau of a well-dowered
Gretchen. Made of wood
and covered with richly
embossed leather, it makes
a decidedly handsome piece
of furniture. The top is dutch wedding-coffer fifteenth century
307
divided and folds back, the
clamps forming the hinges
being of burnished brass.
It differs from others of Ger-
man make, to which we have
already alluded, by reason
of its being raised from the
ground by means of four
rather clumsy legs. This
coffer may also be seen at
South Kensington, having
been bought in 1872 for the
sum of £\o.
The next coffer we are able
to illustrate is from the gallery
spanish wedding-coffer fifteenth century 0 j
above the vestibule in Ham
House. It came originally
is made of wood overlaid with black mastic, in from Turkey, and dates back to the eighteenth
which are embedded bits of mother-of-pearl in century. The body of the chest is of wood—■
fioreated Oriental pattern. The work is of what kind it is difficult to say—which is covered
the sixteenth or seven- with decoration in
teenth century, and the ^ggc. ■jam&mmw*' painted and gilded
coffer is said to have SMHHHHHS^BjtfHHHHpp gesso-work. The design
been imported by the is beautiful and effec-
Portuguese from India. tive. It is provided
It was bought by the *a^^H with a lock of curious
authorities of the South HKw | mechanism, the key of
Kensington Museum in 1 -IIHBHPMmF^^i' which, unfortunately,
1866 for the modest ' ■ ^Mi^HiB^BBBi^^Mili has been lost. It stands
sum of 8s. $d. If , . . . j about six inches from
purchased at an auction r" the ground on six
(which is probable), and \~ roughly carved legs,
the bids advanced by The coffer next shown
pennies (which is open dutch wedding-coffer fifteenth century ;s somewhat gcclesias-
to doubt), this would tical in design, and may
account for the odd fivepence. In shape it is have been a gift from a dignitary of the Church
quadrangular, the lid being bevelled. Curiously to some near relation. It is made of solid oak,
enough, the back of the coffer is handsomer than the front and sides being elaborately carved
the front, which accounts
for its having been photo-
graphed in the position
shown in our illustration.
The coffer next shown is
of German make and dates
back to the early part
of the sixteenth century.
It is fairly commodious
and capable of holding the
trousseau of a well-dowered
Gretchen. Made of wood
and covered with richly
embossed leather, it makes
a decidedly handsome piece
of furniture. The top is dutch wedding-coffer fifteenth century
307