Casket
1345-1420 (made)
| Place of origin |
Rectangular case with hinged lid; wood overlaid with leather, cut with scrollwork and bound with iron strap mounts enriched with rosetttes; the underside scored with a lattice design. Fitted with three hasps (one broken and partly missing) and lock; an M shaped handle on one side. Lined with red leather(?)
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Wood and leather with iron mounts |
| Brief description | Leather case with metal mounts for a book of hours; probably Catalan, 1345-1420 |
| Physical description | Rectangular case with hinged lid; wood overlaid with leather, cut with scrollwork and bound with iron strap mounts enriched with rosetttes; the underside scored with a lattice design. Fitted with three hasps (one broken and partly missing) and lock; an M shaped handle on one side. Lined with red leather(?) |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Bought for £5 from Baron Julius von Hoevel, 26 Tyrwhitt Road, St John's (RF 7284/1894); condition: 'one hasp missing'; attrib. 'German, late 15th century'; provenance 'From the Gschille(?) Collection' |
| Historical context | The origin of this type of chest is uncertain; German (15th century) and French (14th century) attributions have both been offered in the past. Felix de la Fuente Andrés (see reference) argues that this type of case - of which around 30 have been identified - was made to contain a small book, possibly private devotional books of hours 1345-1420. A concentration around Barcelona suggests a possible origin in that city. Comparable caskets: V&A: 527-1903 |
| Bibliographic reference | Felix de la Fuente Andrés (Museo Nacional de Artes Decorativas, Madrid), “Estuches de libro. Analisis funcional de pequenos contenedores” [Book cases. Functional analysis of small containers], in Además de: revista on line de artes decorativas y diseño, no. 2, 2016, pp.3-45, cat. 20 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 159-1894 |
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| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
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