{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O324195"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O324195/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EC2697/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2010EC2697/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2010EC2697","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2010EC2694","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PH5906","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PH5905","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2025PH5904","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O324195/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O324195","accessionNumber":"M.670-1926","objectType":"Pen case","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Portable pen cases or penners were hung from the belt along with inkhorns. They were a convenient way to carry writing implements around and remained in use until the late 18th century. Penners were made of ivory, horn, silver or as this one, engraved gilt copper. They were cleverly compartmentalised so  quills and other tools could be stored without damaging them. This example could be fastened to a belt by the loops on the sides.\n\nPenners were essential tools for notaries, merchants and scholars. Around 1490, an Oxford schoolmaster reproved his student for being poorly supplied: “<i>Methinkest thou lackest many things that it is need[ful] for a good scholar to have, first a penner and an inkhorn and then books</i>”. Another young scholar of the same date was better equipped: \"<i>[At] the last fair, my uncle on my father's side gave me a penner and an inkhorn, and my uncle of my mother's side gave me a penknife. Now and I had a pair of tables, I lacked nothing\"</i>. ","physicalDescription":"Rectangular case of engraved brass with traces of gilding. Oblong with side attachments, decorated with a bird and arabesques with lion masks holding rings. Pull off cover.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"brass (alloy)","id":"AAT10946"}],"techniques":[{"text":"engraving (incising)","id":"AAT53829"},{"text":"gilding","id":"AAT53789"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Engraved brass with traces of gilding","categories":[{"text":"Metalwork","id":"THES48920"},{"text":"Personal accessories","id":"THES48912"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"MET","id":"THES48599"},"images":["2010EC2697","2010EC2694","2025PH5906","2025PH5905","2025PH5904"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"010","id":"THES405585"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Pen case","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Germany","id":"x28873"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"circa 1600","earliest":"1595-01-01","latest":"1604-12-31"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Lt. Col. G. B. Croft-Lyons Bequest","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"17.6","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"4","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"4.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Copper-gilt. Germany; early-mid 16th century.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Finlay, Michael: \"Western writing implements in the age of the quill pen\", Cumbria, 1990"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Rachel Church, Writing Equipment and Women in Europe 1500-1900, Women's Writing, 21:3, 2014, pp. 385-404, fig. 2"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Orme, Nicholas, \"Medieval schools from Roman Britain to Renaissance England\", Yale University Press, 2006"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"birds","id":"x35043"},{"text":"foliage","id":"x42645"},{"text":"arabesques","id":"AAT10206"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL\r\n\r\nBefore modern transport people largely travelled on foot or on horseback. Useful everyday items needed to be carried comfortably on the body. Some were miniature versions of larger objects, others folded ingeniously to become portable. Often they were intricate and delicate.\r\n\r\nThese eleven items were personal possessions. Many were made before pockets were commonplace. Some were used in the workplace, some at home and some on the road. \r\n\r\nMany have cases as stylish as the objects they protect. These cases came in a range of materials, from expensive ivory and sharkskin to cheaper leather and wood. Their decoration shows the same designs that adorn silver, ceramics and textiles.\r\n\r\nAll these objects give us interesting insights into work, leisure and social etiquette\r\n\r\n4 PENCASE \r\nEngraved brass\r\nGermany, 1550-1600\r\n\r\nWriting equipment was fragile. Metal pencases, or penners, were cleverly compartmented so pencils or quills to be stored without damaging them. This example could be fastened to a belt by the loops on the sides.\r\n\r\nCroft-Lyons Bequest\r\nMuseum no. M.670-1926","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["M.670-1926"],"accessionNumberNum":"670","accessionNumberPrefix":"M","accessionYear":1926,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-09-25","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}