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Casket
Unknown - Enlarge image
Casket
- Place of origin:
England, Great Britain (made)
- Date:
ca. 1600 (made)
- Artist/Maker:
Unknown (production)
- Materials and Techniques:
Mother-of-pearl shell plaques, set in a silver-gilt foot, with a silver-gilt cover
- Museum number:
M.245-1924
- Gallery location:
Temporary Exhibition, room 38, case WW1, shelf CA5
Object Type
Mother of pearl came from Turbo marmoratus, a marine snail from the West Pacific. The goods were often made in India, their gilt mounts being added when they arrived in Europe.
Ownership & Use
Exotic shells, either in their natural state or worked by a craftsman, were often found in the 'cabinets of curiosities' that contained the small treasures of a princely collection. From about 1530 vessels made from mother-of-pearl also ranked highly in the hierarchy of the royal 'jewel house'. The courts of Francis I of France (reigned 1515-1547) and Henry VIII of England demonstrated a passion for goods from 'the Indies', and mother-of-pearl objects featured frequently in New Year gift exchanges.
In the early 16th century mother-of-pearl was unusual outside court circles. By the mid-17th century, however, it had become a regular item of trade from East Asia and was more common down the social scale. Mother-of-pearl was favoured for display ewers and basins, but also for accessories such as caskets, spoons and sweetmeat boxes. This casket may have been used for dessert, as the exotic sheen of the shell would have set off the colours of the sweetmeats.
Design & Designing
The silver-gilt cover is decorated with a vase and a swirling plant supporting four flowers. The mother-of-pearl panels are pinned at the lower end to an external shell disc, centring inside on a small disc.
