Alms Dish
1884 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
In Victorian Britain the applications of brass were almost endless; with physical qualities of toughness, hardness and colour that varied according to the zinc content of the alloy, brass was extremely versatile and inexpensive. The uses ranged from utility to ornament – from engineers’ grease cups to hearth furniture and tableware.
This dish would have been used in a church, for collecting money from the congregation during the service. Its design is derived from 16th-century south German prototypes.
This dish would have been used in a church, for collecting money from the congregation during the service. Its design is derived from 16th-century south German prototypes.
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | Brass, with repoussé |
Brief description | Brass alms dish, decorated with foliage and a monogram, and the inscription All things come of Thee and of Thine own have me given Thee, English, 1884 |
Physical description | The centre is repoussé with intertwined foliage enclosing the sacred monogram and surrounded with the inscription: All things come of Thee and of Thine own have me given Thee. The rim is filled with a border of foliage. |
Dimensions |
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Marks and inscriptions | All things come of Thee and of Thine own have me given Thee (Inscription; decoration; 1884) |
Production | Designed by W.H. and E.R. Singer and manufactured by Singer and Sons, Frome, 1884. |
Subjects depicted | |
Summary | In Victorian Britain the applications of brass were almost endless; with physical qualities of toughness, hardness and colour that varied according to the zinc content of the alloy, brass was extremely versatile and inexpensive. The uses ranged from utility to ornament – from engineers’ grease cups to hearth furniture and tableware. This dish would have been used in a church, for collecting money from the congregation during the service. Its design is derived from 16th-century south German prototypes. |
Bibliographic reference | Eatwell, Ann, "Ambition & Plagiarism?: Unpicking the Design and Manufacture of an Unmarked 19th-Century Ornamental Brass Dish", The Journal of the Antique Metalware Society, Vol. 19, June 2011, pp. 2-17, ill. p. 12 |
Collection | |
Accession number | 99-1885 |
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Record created | February 11, 2004 |
Record URL |
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