On display
Image of Gallery in South Kensington

This object consists of 2 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Hanging Pyx

1898 (made)
Artist/Maker
Comper, John Ninian (Sir) (designer)
Barkentin and Krall (maker)
Place of origin
London (made)

A pyx (from the Greek for ‘box’) was used in Roman Catholic worship to contain the Sacred Host, the consecrated bread or wafer used in the Mass, or to take it to the bedside of the sick.

The designer of this pyx, Ninian Comper, worked mainly in a neo-Gothic style. He made the pyx for Egmanton church, his first architectural restoration. On each side there is an angel with a shield depicting one of the Instruments of the Passion (objects associated with Christ’s suffering and Crucifixion).

Object details

Categories
Christianity
Metalwork
Religion
Scotland
Object type
Hanging pyx
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Hanging Pyx (With Key)
  • Key (For the Door of the Pyx)
Materials and techniques
Copper-gilt
Dimensions
  • Height: 33cm
  • Width: 14cm
Marks and inscriptions
No marks
Gallery label
(22/11/2005)
Hanging Pyx
A pyx (from the Greek for 'box') was used in Roman Catholic worship to contain the Sacred Host, the consecrated bread or wafer used in the Mass, or to take it to the bedside of the sick.

The designer of this pyx, Sir Ninian Comper, worked mainly in a neo-Gothic style. He made the pyx for Egmanton church, his fifth architectural restoration. On each side there is an angel with a shield depicting one of the Instruments of the Passion (objects associated with Christ's suffering and Crucifixion).

England, London, 1897; designed by Sir Ninian Comper (1864-1960), made by Barkentin & Krall. Copper-gilt
Lent by the Church of Our Lady of Egmanton, Newark, Nottinghamshire
Credit line
Lent by the Church of Our Lady, Egmanton, Newark, Nottinghamshire
Historical context
The Modern Church
In the late Victorian period two architects turned- craftsmen, Henry Wilson and C.R. Ashbee, initiated a decisive shift towards fine craftsmanship in church silver. This led to a sharp fall in the standing of commercial manufacturers but provided a steady source of work for many designer-silversmiths that has lasted into the present day. This revival of craftsmanship came out of the Arts and Crafts movement, one of the greatest social and artistic forces of the age. Favouring small studio workshops and simplicity of form, the movement set the pattern for church silver throughout the 20th century, whether for major cathedral commissions or for parish churches. Cathedral Church of St Michael, Coventry, 1954-62
Summary
A pyx (from the Greek for ‘box’) was used in Roman Catholic worship to contain the Sacred Host, the consecrated bread or wafer used in the Mass, or to take it to the bedside of the sick.

The designer of this pyx, Ninian Comper, worked mainly in a neo-Gothic style. He made the pyx for Egmanton church, his first architectural restoration. On each side there is an angel with a shield depicting one of the Instruments of the Passion (objects associated with Christ’s suffering and Crucifixion).
Bibliographic references
  • Cox, J. Charles. County Churches: Nottinghamshire. London, 1912.
  • Pevsner, N. The Buildings of England: Nottinghamshire. 2nd edn, rev. E. Williamson (1979).
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
LOAN:EGMANTON.1:1-2004

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Record createdNovember 18, 2005
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O118747/hanging-pyx-comper-john-ninian/
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