The Hungarian National Museum's Tin Collection represents the entire history of Hungarian tin craftsmanship. Most of the collection consists of tableware and guild vessels, but there are also sacred objects, apothecary vessels, and measuring vessels. The collection is mainly expanded through purchases. The National Museum purchased Ágoston Szalay's extensive collection of guild jugs in 1877. The institution also acquired four 17th-century pewter vessels from Lajos Ernst's famous art collection.
Contact: Dr. Angelika Orgona, orgona.angelika@hnm.hu
Composition of the collection
Most of the tableware consists of pewter jugs used for serving drinks and bottles used for storing liquids. The most flourishing centers of Hungarian pewter art, the Transylvanian Saxon and Upper and Lower Hungarian towns, are both represented among the pewter jugs, which are unique due to their finely engraved decorations, rich and varied use of Renaissance ornamentation (animals, Italian jug motifs, various garden flowers). The most beautiful of the large guild jugs is the one cast in 1524 by the bootmakers of Gölnicbánya (today: Gelnica, Slovakia), which can be seen in the museum's permanent exhibition. The guilds usually presented their city leaders with New Year's gifts. The Metal Collection also has a beautiful series of these bowls.
Among the bowls and plates are five Nuremberg relief vessels (known as Edelzinn). This type was often used as bread plates by Reformed congregations. Among the vessels used by the church, the jug of the Lutherans of Körmöcbánya deserves attention, the body of which is decorated with a portrait of King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden (1611-1632), one of the heroes of the Thirty Years' War. The collection also includes richly engraved jugs, mostly undecorated apothecary vessels, and sets of measuring cups. The collection also includes richly engraved jugs, bowls, mostly undecorated apothecary vessels, and sets of measuring cups.
Only 10 examples of this magnificent Silesian pewter can, known in the literature as Schleifkanne, survive in the world. One of them is the large tin jug on display at the permanent exhibition of the Hungarian National Museum (Room 5), which is 542 mm high and 14.33 litres (10 "ejtels" by contemporary standards) in size, decorated with the figures of saints. The handle of the jug is stamped with the town mark of Neisse and the mark of an unknown master forming a crowned V. At the bottom of the jug's body is a subsequently soldered brass pouring spout, used to extract the drink from the heavy vessel. The cylindrical body is divided horizontally into two parts by a series of three rings. In the centre of the rings, opposite the handle, is a disc-shaped shield with a shoe pierced with an arrow in rudimentary engraving, the coat of arms of the cobblers' guild and the initials H S H S in four corners. On the lid, the same hand has engraved the name HAN(s) SCULTETUS in antique letters. The decoration on the lid is the work of a professional engraver, the secondary engraving on the coat of arms and the lid is the work of the jug's owner. The upper part of the mantle is beautifully engraved with female saints and the lower part with male saints on a hatched background.
The interesting thing about the octagonal Transylvanian can without a master mark is that it has a tilt and a spout, as if it were a jug, but the lid is a knob, as is the case with bottles in general. Each side of the body has a different floral and fruit motif. The lid is decorated with engraved and chased floral motifs with vines. The handle is in the shape of a question mark, with the name of with the former owner's name engraved in an untrained hand: ANTONI SAS 1672. The initials M. G. appear on one of the linearly decorated sides.
This large bowl was made by an unknown master of the Transylvanian Saxon tinware guild of the town of Beszterce (today: Bistrița, Romania), initialled H. K. G. The bowl is decorated in the centre with a squill, and alternating motifs of Italian wreath, tulip and acanthus leaves on the rim. The engravings are flanked by a row of impressed lilies. The rim is inscribed "ANNO DOMINI" "1631", "MVNB", "LANDGREBIORUM".
Welcoming goblets or "billikoms" (the name comes from the German Willkomm or Willkommen, meaning welcome) have been used to greet guests since the Middle Ages. In bourgeois practice, billikoms were used by German guilds to welcome journeymen and when new apprentices were admitted to the guild. The apprentice had to empty the goblet containing beer or wine to the bottom, otherwise he had to pay. Guild goblets were valuable cult objects, and commemorative plaques, medallions, or coins engraved by the journeymen were hung on the belly. In 1982, the Hungarian National Museum purchased a vessel from the town of Neustrelitz in the province of Mecklenburg, which was the welcoming goblet of the local carpenters' guild.
The first piece from the Pewter Collection to be placed in a museum was a platter found in 1814 during the regulation of the River Sárvíz. The platter is decorated with scenes from the Book of Genesis. In the center, in a circular field, Noah's sacrifice can be seen. In the lower third of the field, the following inscription can be read: "NOE GIENG AUS / DER ARCH GETR /OST OPFERDT/ 16 GOTT 19". (Noah stepped out of the ark and, comforted, offered a sacrifice to God). On the rim there are four scenes in oval fields (proceeding counterclockwise): the creation of Eve; God warns Adam and Eve about the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge; The Fall; Expulsion from Paradise. The space between the scenes is filled with Italian-style decoration. The rim shows an egg-motif decoration and a line of dots on the inside. The edge bears the signature of the Nuremberg master I. S. (Johann Spatz (II) (1630–1670). In European pewter craftsmanship, pieces decorated with reliefs, known as Edelzinn, appeared around 1560. Around 1630, vessels decorated with scenes from ancient mythology and allegories were replaced by plates engraved with scenes from the Old Testament, equestrian portraits of rulers, and rich floral ornaments. Renowned Nuremberg masters' goods were highly esteemed in Hungary. Many of their pieces have been preserved in Protestant church collections.
The museum keeps 18th- and 19th-century the tin jars that have been used to equip pharmacies for centuries. The abbreviation of the name of the medicine is now difficult to make out on the painted, gilded brass label depicting an imperial eagle on the lateral surface of the vessel, which tapers slightly upwards and bears the city mark of Nagyszeben with the initials G. B.
