Coffer, German, 16th century, wood covered in leather with brass and velvet decoration

Rectangular chest on four raised corner feet, with 2/3 fold-back lid, fully covered (including the underside) in red-brown leather. The leather exterior is overlayed with horizontal and vertical bands of sheet brass (now tarnished to a dark grey colour), and on the front and lid with nailed, brass mounts, cut and pierced, which are arranged symmetrically in a loosely Moresque design over small panels of blue, green, pink and red velvet mounted over cut outs of thin red leather over thin yellow leather. The mounts are fixed in place by iron, rose-head nails except under the flange where they have small, flat round heads. With a bail handle of wrought iron attached at each end with split rings.

The lid is held in three places with leather hinges linked at a flattened brass ‘belt-loop’ (one of which, on the left, has torn its leather ‘belt’). A strip of leather is nailed to the underside of the hinge joint, and was originally pulled up into the joint, presumably to fill the air-gap. Where the hinge has deteriorated the leather has dropped. It appears that the lid originally fastened to the front by means of a sliding bolt (missing) that passed through the two rings on the chest front and another central hasp ring (now missing) attached to the front of the lid. The lid is lined (except for the static underside of the top) with pale brown leather (possibly goatskin). At both front corners, revealed when the lid is raised, thin straps of pink leather over green leather are nailed over the 'mitre'. The front lip of the lid originally had a sewn leather edging, most of which has been lost but small areas survive to suggest what was the original scheme: along the back edge of the lifting part of the lid (and half-way along its side), the edging was brown leather; along the front portion of the side and all along the front the edging appears to have been bright green.

The interior of the chest (other than the lid) is fully lined with the original pink glazed linen, apparently glued in place.

Construction (good diagram)
It appears that the front, sides and back each consist of two or three butted planks, grained side to side, (possibly dowelled together), which are dowelled onto the outer faces of four full-height corner uprights. The uprights are shaped so that the visible feet are rectangular, but cut back to square section above the visible feet (the body of the chest) where they receive the front, back and sides, so that the chest corners are flush. Just below the chest bottom, the feet are cut back on their inside to receive a batten running front to back at either side, below the chest bottom.

Condition and modifications
Exterior leather appears to have had an application of leather dressing, darkening the surface which was originally a deep red colour.
Analysis found no evidence of tinning, or pigment originally used to colour the brass. It is therefore reasonable to assume that the straps were originally a brassy colour (as can still be seen under the lid flap), and bright and shiny. The metal has gradually oxidised over time to a black colour, which is probably composed of several different corrosion products, including brownish oxides and black sulphides. The very even and smooth appearance is probably because the strapwork was originally highly polished, with the result of formation of a compact patina.
Impact damage to the wooden lid and front, and the cladding, presumably caused by a heavy blow to the front of the lid (visible in early photographs).
Fastening hasp for the lid to the front now missing.
The pile to the velvet almost all missing (small areas of velvet under the lid flange show the original bright colours.)
Several massive insect exit holes on the front and back.
Black water stains on the back.
White powdery corrosion on the metal mounts especially at the back, possibly electrolytical between the iron nails and the brass bands, exascerbated by moisture in the leather.
Ruckling of the sheet metal, especially at the back – possibly caused by cross-grain shrinkage of the wood.

Bought for £10 from A. Pickert, Nuremburg. See RF 43253 Sir M.D.Wyatt.

This trunk was acquired in 1872 from a Nuremberg dealer who supplied the Museum with a number of distinctive regional pieces of furniture from southern Germany. No close analogies have yet been identified. In terms of design and decoration, a date of c.1500-1650 seems plausible, and a south German origin likely, given especially the elaborate metal and textile decoration.

In terms of nomenclature, trunks are usually flat-bottomed, with rounded lids, whereas chests tend to have raised feet and flat lids - but the leather cladding on this piece defines it as the product of a trunk maker. This trunk has some aspects in common with leather and metal clad coffers designed for the storage and transport of goods. However, the use of a flat lid, raised feet and conspicuous (and essentially fragile) decoration, and the absence of locks, distinguish it from coffers amd trunks intended for transport and heavy handling. The lid is lightweight and has leather hinges linked by brass loops, a method that may have been developed by trunk makers.

It must originally have been stunning in appearance - and intended to be admired within a richly furnished interior. At the same time, it is relatively lightweight, and fitted with carrying handles, and carefully lined, but without drawers or internal compartments - so was clearly intended to have a practical function such as the storage of valuable textiles. It was perhaps one of several from a in a wealthy household, intended to hold luxury textiles within a semi-private room, where the security was less important.

For Pickert see:
Die Besucherbücher der Kunsthändler Abraham, Sigmund und Max Pickert in Fürth und Nürnberg (1838 - 1909) / Norbert Jopek. – 2009. In: Münchner Jahrbuch der bildenden Kunst, 3.F. 60.2009, p. 199-223
Von "einem Juden aus Fürth" zur "Antiquitätensammlung des verdienstvollen Herrn Pickert" : die Kunsthändlerfamilie Pickert und die Sammlungen des Germanischen Nationalmuseums (1850 bis 1912) / Norbert Jopek. – 2008. In: Anzeiger des Germanischen Nationalmuseums, 2008, p. 93-105

This trunk was acquired in 1872 from a Nuremberg dealer who supplied the Museum with a number of distinctive regional pieces of furniture from southern Germany. No close analogies have yet been identified. In terms of design and decoration, a date of c.1500-1650 seems plausible, and a south German origin likely, given especially the elaborate metal and textile decoration.

In terms of nomenclature, trunks are usually flat- bottomed, with rounded lids, whereas chests tend to have raised feet and flat lids - but the leather cladding on this piece defines it as the product of a trunk maker. This trunk has some aspects in common with leather and metal clad coffers designed for the storage and transport of goods. However, the use of a flat lid, raised feet and conspicuous (and essentially fragile) decoration, and the absence of locks, distinguish it from coffers amd trunks intended for transport and heavy handling. The lid is lightweight and has leather hinges linked by brass loops, a method that may have been developed by trunk makers.

It must originally have been stunning in appearance - and intended to be admired within a richly furnished interior. At the same time, it is relatively lightweight, and fitted with carrying handles, and carefully lined, but without drawers or internal compartments - so was clearly intended to have a practical function such as the storage of valuable textiles. It was perhaps one of several from a in a wealthy household, intended to hold luxury textiles within a semi- private room, where the security was less important.

238-1872