Prékopa Ágnes (szerk.): Ars Decorativa 30. (Budapest, 2016)

Edit DARABOS: Altera Theca continens.A Research Into Historical Leather Cases made for Esterhazy Treasury Items

tween 1670 and 1674.64 Its case reveals a significantly changed selection of tools, with the only common points being an edge decoration and one of the tendrils, while a fan motif and several other decorative tools are present, none of which can be seen on any earlier cases.65 The appearance of the triple tendril tool may mark the start of yet another era, and can be found, among objects in the Esterházy collection, on the case for the Swan-shaped centrepiece, and on the case for an object in Sopron, discussed below. (Fig. 12) Also included in the group is the case for a set of cutlery from Augsburg. The spoon bears the date 1677. From the maker’s mark István Heller has identified the master silversmith as Matthias Messner, dating the object to between 1675 and 1678. The edge pattern is the same as the one on a case in

the Prado (jasper trinket box),66 and on a Grünes Gewölbe bowl case which bears the triple tendril tool.67

The triple tendril is also found on the case of a goblet which was donated to the Lutheran church in Sopron in 1686. The Passion of the Christ goblet is known to be a gift from a Viennese merchant named Georg Wirth, and its maker has been identified as Lorenz II Biller (before 1649- 1726). Its date of manufacture is unknown, but the assumption is that it was made close to the time it was donated, which makes the case for this goblet the latest datable item in this group.68 (Fig. 13)

The large number of cases associated with the workshop suggests that, even in such an important centre of fine metalwork as Augsburg, there may only have been a handful of masters or workshops produc12. Triple tendril tool on the case for a swan-shaped centrepiece

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