A German Herrengrund double beaker

CIRCA 1700

Details

A German Herrengrund double beaker
circa 1700
Of barrel form, the matted copper engraved with staves and applied with gilt hoops, the bases engraved with inscriptions, the border engraved with a flower and latin inscription
10.5 cm. (4.1/8 in.) high
The inscriptions read:
'Ein Faß ich stelle dar, daß doch vor Eisen war, jetzt aber Kupfer rein, und mit Gold beklei=det sein'

'Daß durch des wassers krafft diß Kupfer wird aus Ei=sen, daß kan uns die Na=tur, in Herren=grund be=weisen.'

'Vivat Dnus Francischcus Überbachier cum Dna ejus.'
A loose translation would be 'I represent a barrel which was of iron but now it will be of pure copper and dressed with gold'.

'Nature can show us in Herrengrund, that through the power of water, iron can be transformed to copper'.

'Long life to Mr Franciscus Überbachier and his wife'

Lot Essay

Herrengrund in the mining area, east of Preßsburg in Slovakia, was the centre of the manufacture of copper gilt objects, sometimes incorporating natural crystals. Most of this work seems to date from the late 17th and early 18th century. This double beaker is typical of their productions and the inscriptions are of interest. G. Egger (Barockes Kupfer aus Herrengrund und ornamentale Vorlageblätter, Vienna, 1979, p. 13.) records the process by which iron could be changed into copper by immersing it in the local water.

More from Fine European Silver, Gold Boxes and Objects of Vertu

View All