Pyx: M.1-1913

Maker(s)

Maker: Unknown

Entities

• Pyx

Categories

• Enamels
• Champlevé enamels

Description

Copper, champlevé, engraved, enamelled and gilt

Copper, champlevé engraved, enamelled in two shades of blue, green, yellow, and red enamels, and gilt; the interior wholly gilt. Cylindrical with a cupola inside, and a conical cover with ball knop capped by six petals or leaves, turned alternately inwards to meet at the top, and outwards. The lower part has pairs of small vertical loops on opposing sides; and the cover has one on each side which fits between the two on the lower part, forming the hinge and hasp. The latter has a projecting 'tongue'. The sides and cover are decorated with scrolling foliage with alternately upward and downward pointing leaves.

Notes

History note: Uncertain before donor

Legal notes

Given by the Rev. S. Dewick, MA, FSA

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1913-02-21) by Dewick, E.S.

Dating

13th Century
Medieval
Circa 1200 CE - 1300 CE

Note

A pyx (from Latin pyxis, a box), is a container for the Euchar¬istic bread or Host (Latin hostia, a victim or sacri¬fice). By the thirteenth century two pyxes were considered necessary for each church: one to hold the unconsacrated wafers, and the other to hold the consecrated wafers. Numerous champlevé enamel pyxes have survived which suggests that they were among the most frequently commissioned liturgical objects. Foliated scrolls were one of the most common types of decoration on pyxes.

School or Style

Gothic