Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1913-03-26
CURIOUS MANUSCRIPT
AMONG THE EXHIBITS
The Handicraft Exhibition an In
teresting One.
AT THE PEABODY BALTIMORE.
Old Articles With Interesting Stories =
A Large Collection.

Near these are books that date from
somewhat later. Latin manuscript
are Illuminated with ascetic saints
and aureoled virgins in gorgeous
| gowns Of gold and red, surrounded
with an elaborate tracery Of vines and
flowers too elaborate TO have been
executed anywhere but in a convent
where the hours for work seretched
out interminably.
Across from the cases that hold
the collection of manuscripts is the
exhibit of old silver that has been
loaned BY various Baltimoreans. 60
anyone versed in old silver this is a
place to linger and enjoy. Many of
the examples are rare and all of
them are interesting.
A comparatively large collection
of tankards arrests the attention
first, and gives one little idea of the
extent to which strong drink was in
dulged in in the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries. In those days
posset and candle cups were used
also, but it was the tankard that was
the mealtime companion of man.
Spiced wine, beer, in fact, drinks of
all kinds, were consumed from the
tankard and, such were the lax sani-
tary conditions of those days, that
the same tankard served a whole
table full.
1t was passed from hand to hand
and from mouth to month and in no
doubt carried the Black Death or
what germ was going the rounds.
Some, one notices, are now ardorned
with spouts and serve as tame and
hygenic chocolate pots. In the same
case with the tankards are two tu-
reens made by the celebrated Paul
Storr.
If one is learned in the system
of hallmarking that was practiced by
the Silve rsmiths' Guild one may by
examination find the date and maker
for ones self. The hall mark consists
of series of mark usually five in
number. First the initial of the
maker, which he had registered at
the Silvermith's Guild; second, the
head of the reigning sovereign, if
made after 1884; third, the year
mark; fourth, the siversmith's, that
the Guild mark, and, fifth, the leop-
ard he ad or the lion, a guarantee of
purity like our sterling mark.
The date of the year, it is inter-
esting to note, was not printed, but
indicated by letter. The practice
of hallmarking dates back as far as
the fifteenth century and the leopard
read, as a guarantee of purity, is the
oldest known mark. This was con-
sidered so important and its meaning
was so carefully guarded that sill
versmith whose silver was found not
to come up to the standard or who
was found to have counterfeited this
mark, was nailed by the ears to a
post in the marketplace and was
forced to pull himself loose, leaving,
as one may imagine, the greater part
of his ears behind. This custom ex-
listed in Queen Elizaheth's time and
prior to that the penalty was death.
One very rare piece of silver known
as potaring is shown. These rings
are found only in Ireland and this is
supposed to have been their use i
The method of pre- pairing potatoes in
ireland, recommended by the best
cooks, is that of MASKING them in
wooden bowl. They are supposed also
to be served in this same bowl, and
to keep it from staining or burning
the table silver ring is used in
which to stand it. There are tea SER
vices, too, and a number of pieces
made by the Batemans, who seem to
have been family of silversmiths.
The entire exhibition of old silver
was collected, catalogued and ar
rang ID by Mr.. Lawrence Fowler and
Mr.. Howard Sill.
(Concluded)