UNKNOWN GOLDSMITH, German
(active second half of 16th century in southern Germany)

Pen and Ink Casket

1550-1600
Silver, coral, 27 x 35 x 23 cm
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

The flat silver casket on paw-shaped feet is partitioned into four equal sections for the storage of writing utensils, an inkwell and a duster. The external surfaces feature a rich decor of embossed ornaments. The top of the lid is decorated with sea creatures. In the middle of the case Neptune, the god of the sea, is positioned. The small sculpture is carved out of a branch of deep red coral, created possibly in Italy, in Genoa.