Collection of nine Central European book clasps and catches [object].

Clasps are mounted to individual brown morocco plates (30 x 22.5 cm), set into sunken green morocco panels. Plates are housed in brown morocco clamshell box.
This is a remarkable collection of nine highly ornate silver and pewter book clasps and catched from Early Modern period from Germany, France, Poland, and the Czech Republic. They are examples of the artistic ingenuity of the silversmith's art applied to book material and represent the developing Baroque styles and tastes in their retrospective regions. The clasps were preserved from their bindings when the book was rebound. This collection was formerly in the Bibliotheca Lindesiana, the library of the Earls of Crawford and Balcarres.
Collection includes: Silver clasp and catches. Frankfurt am Main, by Wenceslaus Tanitzer (1508-1585), ca. 1580, 62 x 28 mm (PML 196484.1); Silver clasp and catches. Christoph Tanitzer (1560-1618), ca. 1600, 135 x 40 mm (PML 196484.2); Pewter clasp and catches with engravings. Cologne, ca. 1700, 162 x 42 mm (PML 196484.3); Engraved silver clasp and catches. Strasbourg, ca. 1700, 145 x 55 mm (PML 196484.4); Engraved silver clasp and catches. Pforzheim, ca. 1700, 120 x 45 mm (PML 196484.5); Engraved silver clasp and catches with 9 mounted red and green glass decorative pieces. Upper Bavaria, ca. 1700, 140 x 50 mm (PML 196484.6); Baroque silver clasp and catches. Danzig (Gdańsk), ca. 1750, 242 x 115 mm (PML 196484.7); Engraved silver clasp and catches. Prague, ca. 1750, 165 x 70 mm (PML 196484.8); Engraved silver clasp and catches. Hamburg, ca. 1750, 120 x 45 mm (PML 196484.9).