Object Number: #803
Augsburg 1751/53
Gottlieb Satzger (ca. 1709-1783)
City Hallmark: a Pyr with K underneath for 1751/53 (Seling Nr. 2050)
Maker’s mark: Monogram “GS” in an oval shield for Gottlieb Satzger (Seling Nr. 2373)
Height: 12 cm (4.7 in.); length x depth: 21,5 x 18 cm (8,3 x 7,1 in.); weight: each ca. 830 gr.
Pictures
Detailed Information
A Fine Pair of German Silver Rococo Boxes
This pair of graceful silver boxes presents a very fine object of rococo from Augsburg. The bulging form of the box is through flowing embossed decoration with elegant gadroons adorned. The surface of the upper part is moreover almost entirely covered from an embossed décor of shells and naturalistic elements. A lock with two keys secures the precious content, while its upper part is decorated with embossed shells and leaves. The box is raised on a low, embossed, curved foot.
To the large travel and toilet sets belonged usually four pairs of boxes of different size. The pair of smallest boxes was usually used for sugar, while the pairs of medium-large and large boxes were mostly used for powder.
There is a series of big boxes, which have a lockable clasp, in order, as it is supposed, to secure the raw sugar and other sweets. This provides a clue of how precious sugar was at this time-period. Formally, there is no difference between the boxes with a lock or without (Seling 1980: vol. I/184).
Maker
Gottlieb Satzger is born circa 1709 as son of the silversmith Philipp Jakob Satzger. He was free in 1746 and died in 1783.
Gottlieb Satzger was together with his brother Johann Martin I mostly for their boxes known. These two are very significant for their works (Seling 1980: vol. I/186). These last are to be found in important museums in Europe (cf. Seling 1980: fig. 898 and fig. 933).
Literature
Seling, H., 1980-2007, Die Augsburger Gold- und Silberschmiede 1529-1868, vol. I-III, Munich: Beck Verlag.