Research
Of padouk, ebony and unidentified exotic woods and engraved staghorn inlay. The sloped lid with bottom molded edge framed by arabesque garlands interspersed with exotic birds, wild boar, hares, hunters and hounds, surrounding five engraved cartouches depicting scenes from Albrecht Dürer’s Kleine Passion. The left and right sides decorated with one large engraved scene above three smaller all from the old testament by Virgil Solis surrounded by inlaid foliate rinceaux interspersed with game animals and hunters, the rearmost panel on each side containing a small fitted drawer, one of which is inlaid on all sides and can be used freestanding.  The front and back sides similarly decorated. The hinged lid opening to an interior with rectangular red-baize lined well, and two tiers of drawers along the back, three at the bottom and four above. The inner sides, back,drawer fronts and lid decorated with engraved inlaid foliate decoration surrounding cartouches after Solis depicting exotic animals, male and female busts, and hunting scenes. The box secured with a decorative engraved brass lock depicting a stag. Formerly with metal stays to support the lid.

The present Schreibpult or scriptor is depicted in Heinrich Kreisel’s Die Kunst des deutschen Möbels, Volume 1, Pl. 182, and described as “scriptor with figural engraved ivory intarsia, Nuremberg, 3rd quarter of the 16th century, showing scenes from the Kleine Passion by Albrecht Dürer, framed by arabesque garlands interspersed with exotic birds, game animals, such as wild boar, hares, hunters and hounds.”The Kleine Passion, or Small Passion, was one of Dürer’s largest and most popular series, published in 1511. It comprised thirty-seven woodcuts beginning with The Fall of Man and concluding with The Last Judgment. On the present scriptor, the scenes illustrated are (clockwise from the upper left): Christ before Pilate, Christ on the Mount of Olives, Christ before Caiaphas, and Christ before Herod, with The Last Supper in the center.

Full research report available on request.