Among the rich collection of drinking vessels were relics of the Hanseatic history of the city, including presents from other Hanse towns, as well as gifts of honor from foreign kings and princes. One of the finest pieces of plate was a table ornament, or silver statuette, of St. George in conflict with the dragon, wielding a sword in his right hand, and with the left thrusting his shield into the dragon's jaws. It has an octagonal pedestal, and bears date 1507, the height being in all thirty inches. It is probably of Lubeck workmanship.
The Lubeck welcome-cup, dated 1651, and presented at the opening of the new building, is of silver gilt, resting on three claws. It is richly ornamented with embossed arabesques and fourteen coats of arms. The coverlid is surmounted by the Goddess of Fortune and a winged sphere, the entire height being twenty-six inches, and the weight six pounds.
Perhaps the most elegant drinking-cup, however, is one bearing date 1654. It is of silver gilt, with a “six-bellied” or hexagonal pedestal or bowl, the shaft being formed by a young Bacchus striding a wine tun. The six facets of the bowl are chased with sea-horses, dolphins, satyrs, Amor and Venus, Ceres, etc., the height, with the cover, which is surmounted by a full-length Mercury, being twenty-eight inches.
There were also two silver equestrian statuettes, the one of Gustavus Adolphus, holding the baton of a commander-in-chief, and the other of a Moor sitting on a sea-horse, with a crown in his right hand.
Yet another piece of plate of magnificent proportions was a silver state salver, gilded, and chased in the centre to represent Phaeton in his four-horse chariot struck by the lightning of Jupiter. Bound the rim were twelve medallions with engraved coats of arms, the centre ones to right and left being embossed Moors’ heads. The salver measures twenty-four by thirty inches.
1 | This is an error. The actual data of initial construction was the first third of the 14th century. |