Case for spoons or knives, or liturgical instruments
Case
ca. 1650 (made)
ca. 1650 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
This case for a spoon or knife, was made in ca. 1650 in Italy. This case is formed of two pieces of bone and engraved St Francis of Assisi and a female martyr saint holding a palm. Beneath is a monastic saint holding a cross. On the other side St Agatha is shown in a cartouche, above another cartouche with the Franciscan emblem of two arms and a cross above a pierced heart. Given its imagery, this holder may have been made for a Franciscan community. The holder may have had a liturgical function. The style and form suggest they are Italian, and date from the mid-seventeenth century.
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
Title | Case for spoons or knives, or liturgical instruments (named collection) |
Materials and techniques | Engraved ivory and bone on wood core |
Brief description | Case, bone and ivory on wood core, for a spoon or knife or liturgical instruments, Italian, ca. 1650 |
Physical description | Case for a spoon or knife, formed of two pieces of bone. In a cartouche is St Francis of Assisi and a female martyr saint holding a palm are depicted. Beneath is a monastic saint holding a cross. On the other side St Agatha is shown in a cartouche, above another cartouche with the Franciscan emblem of two arms and a cross above a pierced heart. Beneath the figure of St Agatha is an inscription. The conical base has panels engraved with foliage and floral design, and four profile busts in fanciful costumes. The sides of the case are pierced with holes for the attachment of a thong. Decorative pierced borders of bone run round the circumference of the base and in two further borders around the holders above. The engraving has been filled up with a black mastic or ink. Two of the panels in the base are of ivory while the others are of bone. |
Dimensions |
|
Marks and inscriptions | 'S. AGATHA' (beneath the figure of Agatha) |
Object history | Given by Sir Charles Wyndham Murray, K.C.B., 10 Rutland Gate, London, SW7 in 1922. |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | This case for a spoon or knife, was made in ca. 1650 in Italy. This case is formed of two pieces of bone and engraved St Francis of Assisi and a female martyr saint holding a palm. Beneath is a monastic saint holding a cross. On the other side St Agatha is shown in a cartouche, above another cartouche with the Franciscan emblem of two arms and a cross above a pierced heart. Given its imagery, this holder may have been made for a Franciscan community. The holder may have had a liturgical function. The style and form suggest they are Italian, and date from the mid-seventeenth century. |
Associated object | A.19-1922 (Version) |
Bibliographic references |
|
Collection | |
Accession number | A.18:0-1922 |
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: JSONIIIF Manifest