{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O125072"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O125072/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PB6124/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2025PB6124/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2025PB6124","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O125072/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O125072","accessionNumber":"M.166-1939","objectType":"Casket","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Oblong casket. The arched top is overlaid with three bands pierced with gothic tracery to which are hinged six straps each set with three dice-like studs. The front straps form the hasps. At the angles are four buttresses resting on lions which form the feet. The pivoted loop handle ends in monsters' heads. The feet are in leonine form and the casked is painted inside.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"wrought iron","id":"AAT11012"}],"techniques":[{"text":"forging (metal forming)","id":"AAT54033"},{"text":"punching","id":"AAT235631"},{"text":"piercing","id":"AAT231153"},{"text":"painting","id":"x30598"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Wrought iron, punched, pierced and painted","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Ironwork","id":"THES251837"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2025PB6124"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"114C","id":"THES49912"},"free":"","case":"20","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Casket","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"France","id":"x28849"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1500","earliest":"1495-01-01","latest":"1504-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Miss Ethel Gurney","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"15.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"22.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"16.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"The vital necessities of daily living utilised by the nobility of Northern Europe at the turn of the fifteenth-century,  were stored in containers such as coffers, chests and caskets. A strong box, such as the present example, would have been used to hold and protect valuable items - jewellery, money, letters or documents. The Lady and the Unicorn tapestry, an object of contemporary date to the casket, shows a similarly sized container, also with an arched lid, being used to store jewellery. In an age before banks, iron caskets, being strong, heavy and relatively fire proof were popular as \"safe\" boxes, some like the present example were in the form of a miniature imitation of the larger chests which stored household items. A great many caskets were destroyed when they had gone out of style or after their owners had died. The present example is therefore fortunate to have survived and retain a relatively sound condition.","briefDescription":"Casket, wrought iron, France, ca. 1500","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Berger, E.<font -u>Ornamental Caskets</font> (Arnoldsche 1998)"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"dice","id":"AAT211084"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"CASKET\r\nWrought iron, punched and pierced,\r\nFrance, c. 1500\r\n\r\nThe hasps on this casket are decorated with small dice, which suggests the casket was secured with a combination lock. \r\n\r\nBequest of Miss Ethel Gurney\r\nMuseum No. M.166-1939\r\n","date":{"text":"14/02/2025","earliest":"2025-02-14","latest":"2025-02-14"}},{"text":"CASKET\r\nWrought Iron, punched and pierced\r\nFrance\r\nAbout 1500\r\n\r\nThe hasps are decorated with dice, perhaps to suggest a combination lock. The casket is painted inside and apart from the lock (added later) is in an unusually well preserved state.\r\n\r\nBequest of Miss Ethel Gurney","date":{"text":"07/1994","earliest":"1994-07-01","latest":"1994-07-31"}}],"partNumbers":["M.166-1939"],"accessionNumberNum":"166","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1939,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LN4817","2019LT6765","2019LW6009"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-11-13","recordCreationDate":"2006-06-12","availableToBook":false}}