A late Gothic silver chalice from the St. Georgs-Kapelle in Gifhorn
Six-lobed base with embossed beaded decoration supporting a two-part shaft with a central compressed node with rotuli engraved “IHESVS”, beneath a tapering cup. The display side of the base decorated with a separately cast crucifixion group, the surrounding lobed motifs finely engraved in Gothic minuscule “ano 1508 bi tiden her Johan vo marnholt domherr tho halverstat do is de Kelec gemacket in sünte Jurgens capellen vor gifhorn”, the next two fields with figures of Saints George and Andrew, the last engraved with the coat-of-arms of Johannes von Mahrenholtz (around 1470 - 1538). The outer rim of the base with a later owner's engraving "VLRICH H.Z.S.P". H 17 cm, weight 289 g.
Unmarked, Halberstadt, c. 1500.
The von Mahrenholtz family was based in Lüneburg, but also owned estates in Saxony and Brunswick. Johannes von Mahrenholtz himself probably studied in Italy (possibly law), and after his return to his homeland, which is said to have taken place around 1494, he is documented from 1502 as a canon in Halberstadt and as dean of the cathedral from 1513 until his death in 1538. His gravestone is located in the south gallery of Halberstadt Cathedral.<BR>St. George's Chapel near the family seat of Gerstenbüttel was still owned by the Mahrenholtz family until the Thirty Years' War, with its benefices donated and endowed in 1382. <BR>Through the foundation, the chalice apparently came into the possession of Princess Klara of Brunswick-Lüneborg-Gifhorn, who became Duchess of Pomerania by marriage in 1572 and whose son Ulrich (Duke of Pomerania-Stettin as of 1618) apparently had the later monogram engraved onto the base.
Provenance
Swedish private collection.