Book clasp
Unknown Artist
17th century
Medium
Silver
Dimensions
Length: 4 1/4 in. (10.8 cm)
Classification
Metalwork-Silver
Culture
German
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1913
Accession Number
13.173.56
Art Historical Context
This exquisite silver book clasp, crafted by an unknown German artisan in the 17th, exemplifies the refined metalworking traditions of Baroque-era Europe. Measuring just 4¼ inches (10.8 cm) in length, it was designed to secure precious volumes—likely religious texts or family heirlooms—preventing pages from shifting while adding a touch of elegance. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of European Sculpture and Decor Arts, it entered the collection through the Rogers Fund in 1913. Silver was a prized medium for such functional yet decorative objects, symbolizing wealth and pi...