Tankard
ca. 1665 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Beer was the staple drink of northern Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. As a result, beakers and tankards constituted a large part of the goldsmith's trade.
Although made in the northern German town of Lübeck, the form and decoration of this bulbous tankard is typical of examples made in the great goldsmithing centre of Augsburg, in southern Germany. It is possible that it is a copy of one made there. The tooled matted decoration of the vessels in this group is known in German as 'Schlangenhaut', or snake skin.
Although made in the northern German town of Lübeck, the form and decoration of this bulbous tankard is typical of examples made in the great goldsmithing centre of Augsburg, in southern Germany. It is possible that it is a copy of one made there. The tooled matted decoration of the vessels in this group is known in German as 'Schlangenhaut', or snake skin.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silver, parcel-gilt, embossed and cast |
| Brief description | Tankard, partially gilded silver, embossed and cast, Germany (Lübeck), mark of Georg Plagemann, ca. 1665 |
| Physical description | Covered tankard with round body with embossed, twisted lobes, cast handle with beaded rim, hinged lid with forked thumbpiece. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions | On base, maker's mark GP in an oval punch for Georg Plagemann; town mark for Lubeck. |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Bequest of Captain H. B. Murray |
| Object history | Purchased for £42 (excluding auction house premium) via Messrs Harding Ltd., at the Ashburnham Sale, Christie’s, 26 March 1914, lot 146. Town mark identified as of Frankfurt-am-Main at the sale. The finial has been replaced and the foot rim repaired. |
| Summary | Beer was the staple drink of northern Europe in the 16th and 17th centuries. As a result, beakers and tankards constituted a large part of the goldsmith's trade. Although made in the northern German town of Lübeck, the form and decoration of this bulbous tankard is typical of examples made in the great goldsmithing centre of Augsburg, in southern Germany. It is possible that it is a copy of one made there. The tooled matted decoration of the vessels in this group is known in German as 'Schlangenhaut', or snake skin. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.56-1914 |
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| Record created | February 9, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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