Lot Essay
This coffer shows a number of features not normally found in examples of this type of object. The absence of feet, the heavy gauge separately fashioned sides, and the concave shoulder of the lid. It is possible that the first existed; some examples are known to have had ball feet instead of the more frequently found continuation and flaring of the leading edge at each corner. The shape of the shoulder is more difficult to source.
The separate sides are found in two early miniature examples made of silver now in the L.A.Meyer Memorial Museum, Jerusalem (Pope, pl.1352). Eva Baer, when discussing the larger of these two, notes that the original prototype can be found in the Hispano-Islamic ivory boxes of the tenth century (Baer, p.46). Another casket of similar form which also has separate sides is attributed by James Allan to Sicily of around 1200 on account of its form and decoration which are similar to the ivory caskets produced there at this time (Louisiana no.80, p.84). The method of tonguing and grooving the edges of the metal plates to join smoothly at the corners can be paralelled in contemporary enamelled copper caskets from Limoges. The present casket thus shows evidence of considerable influence from the Western, principally Islamic, world.
The decorative repertoire of this casket is most similar to that of a casket formerly in the Heeramaneck Galleries, ascribed by Baer to 12th century Iran (p.43). Both have similar central winged harpie(s) flanked by inscriptions and with long hinges for which spaces were already allowed before they were applied. Yet in that example the sides are continuous. Due to this combination of Eastern and Western influences on the present casket, it is difficult to place its origin. Western Iran is possible, but it could also be from one of the Islamic countries bordering on the Mediterranean.
Baer,E.: Metalwork in Medieval Islamic Art, New York 1983
'Art from the World of Islam', in Louisiana Revy, Vol.27, no.3, (Copenhagen) March 1987
Pope,A.U.: A Survey of Persian Art, London and New York 1939
The separate sides are found in two early miniature examples made of silver now in the L.A.Meyer Memorial Museum, Jerusalem (Pope, pl.1352). Eva Baer, when discussing the larger of these two, notes that the original prototype can be found in the Hispano-Islamic ivory boxes of the tenth century (Baer, p.46). Another casket of similar form which also has separate sides is attributed by James Allan to Sicily of around 1200 on account of its form and decoration which are similar to the ivory caskets produced there at this time (Louisiana no.80, p.84). The method of tonguing and grooving the edges of the metal plates to join smoothly at the corners can be paralelled in contemporary enamelled copper caskets from Limoges. The present casket thus shows evidence of considerable influence from the Western, principally Islamic, world.
The decorative repertoire of this casket is most similar to that of a casket formerly in the Heeramaneck Galleries, ascribed by Baer to 12th century Iran (p.43). Both have similar central winged harpie(s) flanked by inscriptions and with long hinges for which spaces were already allowed before they were applied. Yet in that example the sides are continuous. Due to this combination of Eastern and Western influences on the present casket, it is difficult to place its origin. Western Iran is possible, but it could also be from one of the Islamic countries bordering on the Mediterranean.
Baer,E.: Metalwork in Medieval Islamic Art, New York 1983
'Art from the World of Islam', in Louisiana Revy, Vol.27, no.3, (Copenhagen) March 1987
Pope,A.U.: A Survey of Persian Art, London and New York 1939