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German, Germany north

Owl Beaker, 1556

Now On View

Description

Maker

  • Unknown

Culture

German

Title

Owl Beaker

Year

1556

Medium

Coconut shell and silver with gilding

Materials/Techniques

Materials

  • silver,
  • shell

Techniques

  • gilded

Dimensions

22.9 x 10.8 x 12.1 cm (9 x 4 1/4 x 4 3/4 inches)

Signature / Inscription / Marks

Around the neck of the head: "VERBUM. DOMINI. MANET. IN. ETERNUM 1556" On neck of the body: "ALS. ALE. FOEGELEN. SIN. TENIST. SO. IS. DIE. FLEGEN. ANT. ALER. BIST." "VERBUM. DOMINI. MANET. IN. ETERNUM 1556" would be "The word of the Lord endures forever, 1556."

Place

Germany; north

Type

  • Metalwork

Credit

Gift of Miss Ellen D. Sharpe and Mrs. Murray S. Danforth

Object Number

52.533

Projects & Publications

Publications

Manual / Issue 6

Assemblage
Read Online

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

European Galleries

This beaker’s wondrous design features flappable wings and a detachable head that serves as both cap and cup. Formed of a natural coconut-shell body with precious gilded silver mounts, it stands on delicate legs, stabilized by the tail. Unusual objects like this were collected by European nobles for their kunstkammers, or cabinets of curiosities. Coconuts—shipped from India and South and Central America—were rare in the 1500s in northern Germany but valued as medicinal and restorative. Coconut milk was considered a remedy or an aphrodisiac.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Owl Beaker with the accession number of 52.533. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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