IRON CASKET BEARING THE COATS OF ARMS OF THE "PEYER" AND "VON WALDKIRCH" FAMILIES

Schaffhausen, 17th century.
Wooden core with iron mounts, and painted; the cover bearing the coats of arms of the "Peyer" and "von Waldkirch" families. The front, triple-paneled, the central panel is painted with a wreath of flowers around the escutcheon, which is designed as two double-scrolls featuring King David playing the harp or the lyre and Orpheus as a singer with a lion at his feet. Both sides of the casket are painted with flowers. Rectangular body with a hinged cover. Forged handles. Iron lock. 1 key.
46.5 × 24.5 ×23 cm.

Losses in the paintwork.

This chest was probably made on the occasion of a marriage between members of the two families, i.e. "Peyer" and "von Waldkirch", which occurred several times in the 17th century.
The coat of arms of the Peyer family is shown mirror-inverted on the chest. It is not unusual for coats of arms to be depicted facing one another. In heraldry, this is known as "courtoisie".