Thaler Box
1830-1880 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
It was the custom in the southern regions of Germany in the 17th and 18th centuries for godfathers to give the child a coin on the day of baptism. These coins were not just handed over casually but presented formally in a purse, decorative envelope, or a little box made especially for that purpose.
This box is one of those Thaler or Ducat boxes. They were usually made to fit the dimensions of the coin, which could be seen through the holes in the filigree. This box is slightly smaller than usual, and may have been made for a gold coin rather than the more traditional silver Thaler. It was made in Schwäbisch Gmünd, the main centre for small silver work in South Germany up to the end of the 19th century.
This box is one of those Thaler or Ducat boxes. They were usually made to fit the dimensions of the coin, which could be seen through the holes in the filigree. This box is slightly smaller than usual, and may have been made for a gold coin rather than the more traditional silver Thaler. It was made in Schwäbisch Gmünd, the main centre for small silver work in South Germany up to the end of the 19th century.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Silver filigree with a gilded copper applique |
| Brief description | Silver filigree circular Thaler box with gilded copper medallion on front, Schwäbisch Gmünd (Germany), 1830-1880. |
| Physical description | Small shallow cylindrical silver box with a lid that pushes on. The top and bottom are made of open filigree and each has a short vertical side of sheet silver. The filigree is made from tight scrolls with long open stems in a rosette design. There is a stamped gilded face riveted to the centre of the lid, and four domed feet on the base. |
| Marks and inscriptions |
|
| Credit line | Lt. Col. G. B. Croft-Lyons Bequest |
| Summary | It was the custom in the southern regions of Germany in the 17th and 18th centuries for godfathers to give the child a coin on the day of baptism. These coins were not just handed over casually but presented formally in a purse, decorative envelope, or a little box made especially for that purpose. This box is one of those Thaler or Ducat boxes. They were usually made to fit the dimensions of the coin, which could be seen through the holes in the filigree. This box is slightly smaller than usual, and may have been made for a gold coin rather than the more traditional silver Thaler. It was made in Schwäbisch Gmünd, the main centre for small silver work in South Germany up to the end of the 19th century. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.786:1,2-1926 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | June 24, 2009 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSON
