wide maple bowl with wide splayed silver gilt lip; in center is a raised boss enclosing an engraved silver medallion of St. Margaret standing on a dragon

Mazer with scene of St. Margaret of Antioch and her dragon, c. 1470-1500

Unknown artist, expand_more

The term "mazer" comes from the German word for "spot," and referring to the spotted maple used to make drinking vessels like this one. The original owner of this mazer held it in such high regard that he had the rim and center medallion mounted with silver, which helped ensure its preservation for more than 500 years. In fact it was the silver, rather than the turned maple, that appealed to Minneapolis silver collector James Ford Bell when he bought the mazer in 1933. It remains the cornerstone of the Institute's English and American silver collection (as well as the museum's earliest form of lathe-turned wood).

Details
Title
Mazer with scene of St. Margaret of Antioch and her dragon
Role
Artist
Accession Number
61.55.4
Curator Approved

This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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wide maple bowl with wide splayed silver gilt lip; in center is a raised boss enclosing an engraved silver medallion of St. Margaret standing on a dragon