Hand Warmer
late 17th century (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This brass container acted as a hand-held hand warmer. Inside is a small brass cup designed to hold a small quantity of smouldering charcoal. The cup was suspended within a set of gimbals which kept the cup level and prevented the burning charcoal from touching the surface of the container. Hand warmers were particularly useful during long church services.
Brass and copper items were sometimes coated with a thin layer of silver. This provided a cheaper alternative with the appearance of sterling silver. However, frequent polishing often wore away the layer of silver to reveal the base metal underneath, as with this piece.
Brass and copper items were sometimes coated with a thin layer of silver. This provided a cheaper alternative with the appearance of sterling silver. However, frequent polishing often wore away the layer of silver to reveal the base metal underneath, as with this piece.
Object details
| Category | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Brass, originally silvered |
| Brief description | Brass spherical hand warmer engraved with birds, monsters, a fleur-de-lys and a shield, French, late 17th century |
| Physical description | Spherical and pierced, engraved with birds, monsters, a fleur-de-lys and a shield, within triangular compartments. |
| Dimensions |
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| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | This brass container acted as a hand-held hand warmer. Inside is a small brass cup designed to hold a small quantity of smouldering charcoal. The cup was suspended within a set of gimbals which kept the cup level and prevented the burning charcoal from touching the surface of the container. Hand warmers were particularly useful during long church services. Brass and copper items were sometimes coated with a thin layer of silver. This provided a cheaper alternative with the appearance of sterling silver. However, frequent polishing often wore away the layer of silver to reveal the base metal underneath, as with this piece. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 525-1893 |
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| Record created | February 11, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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