COFFER,
Hanau, 2nd half of the 19th century.
Cartouche-shaped. Chased and chiseled all round.
H 27 CM. L 28 cm. 1,905 g.

Provenance:
Swiss private collection.

Silver coffers have their origins in the middle of the 19th century, when splendid individual pieces were made of silver or silver-plated wood. They were initially produced as representative pieces for national exhibitions to document the performance of a company. Later, they were also used as writing- and honour coffers.

Bruno-Wilhelm Thiele, author of the publication on the silverware of Historicism from Hanau, points out that the model of the important coffer by Schleissner, with the design number 8124, was made in several variations. It can be assumed that the coffer on offer is based on the same basic scheme. (cf. Bruno-Wilhelm Thiele, Tafelsilber des Historismus aus Hanau, Tübingen 1992, pp. 108-112 and p. 239 (Cat. No. 88 and Fig. 50)).