South German silver-mounted agate casket

South German silver-mounted agate casket.
Silver, agate.
South Germany, probably Augsburg.
Late 17th century.
7 × 15 × 11 cm (2,76 × 5,91 × 4,33 in).

This silver-mounted hardstone casket is a characteristic example of the objets de vertu for which Southern German workshops were renowned. The body is formed of beveled, harlequin-shaped plaques of agate held within a finely wrought silver cage mount, engraved foliate and stars motifs, resting on four ball feet.

The attribution to an Augsburg workshop is supported by the quality of the silversmithing as well as the use of agate and silver. The meticulous technique, particularly the use of dog-tooth settings to secure each stone, is a hallmark of the city’s production. The style corresponds closely to known examples from Augsburg, a pre-eminent centre for gold- and silversmiths’ work in the 17th and 18th centuries.