Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Silver, Room 69, The Whiteley Galleries

Chrismatory

1636 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Erfurt (region) (made)

This lidded box is a container for chrism, consecrated olive oil mixed with balm used during the services of baptism, confirmation and anointing the sick. It is in the form of three cylinders ('ampullae') each containing oil for one of the three services. The letters engraved under the lid indicate their use: S (Oleum Sanctum for baptism), C (Oleum Catechumenorum for confirmation), and I (Olium Infirmorum for anointing the sick). The chrismatory is also inscribed with the names of Johann and Regina Pressberger, who originally commissioned it.


Object details

Categories
Access_to_Images 2003
Christianity
Metalwork
SCRAN
Object type
Chrismatory
Materials and techniques
Silver-gilt
Brief description
Church plate, Continental
Physical description
Three tubular receptacles, each made separately out of a sheet and soldered together, hinged lid surmounted by crucifix engraved with the sacred monogram IHS, coats of arms, flowers and inscriptions.
Dimensions
  • Height: 9.70cm
  • Length: 4.60cm
  • Width: 4.60cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • The outside and inside of the container are engraved with written inscriptions. On the knop: 'INRI' ('Iesus Nazarenus Rex Iudaeorum'), on the cross above the crucified Christ. Round the rim of the lid at the front of the container: 'EVWEL SDATT' (for 'Euwelstadt', Bavaria) On the front of the cylinder to the proper right: 'IOHANN PRESBERGER' (his arms below) On the front of the central cylinder, below the lid catch: the date '1636' above the monogram 'IHS' (the sacred monogram of Jesus) On the front of the container on the proper left: 'REGINA PRESBERG' [sic] (her arms below) On the underside of the base: the letter 'E' in a shield-shaped punch, the town mark of Erfurt; the letter 'H' in a shield-shaped punch, the letter for the assay year or the maker's mark. Engraved on the underside of the base: 'w:9:lott', a note recording the weight of the piece. Under the lid, engraved round the rim of the cylinder at the front of the container, three letters which refer to the three types of annointing oil the container would have held: 'C' ('oleum catechumenorum', or oil to be used at confirmation); 'I' ('oleum infirmorum', or oil to annoint the sick); S ('oleum sanctum', or oil for use at baptism).
  • Underside: marks of E in a shaped shield and H in a shaped shield; incised under base: W: 9: LOTT
Gallery label
Silver Gallery: This lidded box is a container for consecrated olive oil mixed with balm (the chrism). It is in the form of three cylinders (ampullae) each containing oil and each for a separate purpose indicated by the engraving under the lid: C (Oleum Catechumenorum for confirmation), S (Oleum Sanctum for baptism) and I (Olium Infirmorum for anointing the sick). The inscriptions bear the name of Johann and Regina Pressberger, who originally commissioned the chrismatory.(26/11/2002)
Object history
Purchase - (£35 from HB Murray Bequest) Fitzhenry Collection
Production
Erfurt in Germany. The date is inscribed, not marked
Summary
This lidded box is a container for chrism, consecrated olive oil mixed with balm used during the services of baptism, confirmation and anointing the sick. It is in the form of three cylinders ('ampullae') each containing oil for one of the three services. The letters engraved under the lid indicate their use: S (Oleum Sanctum for baptism), C (Oleum Catechumenorum for confirmation), and I (Olium Infirmorum for anointing the sick). The chrismatory is also inscribed with the names of Johann and Regina Pressberger, who originally commissioned it.
Bibliographic reference
'A silver-gilt chrismatory from Euwelstadt, Bavaria', in Society of Antiquaries: Proceedings Second Series, vol. 14 (1892), p. 23 (Thursday January 28).
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
M.139-1913

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Record createdFebruary 9, 2004
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O91790/chrismatory-unknown/
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