Pilsen Guild of Tailors Welcome Goblet (vilkum)

Probably Franz Albert, Pilsen, Bohemia, ca. 1767, 1818

Cast engraved pewter, brass.

H: 42.2 cm / Diameter: 16.5 cm

UMP 3936

This commemorative guild goblet is decorated with lion mascarons in relief, each with small plates on brass rings hanging from their maws. Inscriptions in Czech and German are engraved on the body of the goblet and on the plates, which were gradually added to commemorate a new journeyman or master craftsman joining the guild. A cartouche

with the year 1767 and the following Czech inscription is engraved on the body of the goblet: ZA CHRISSTOFA HAUSKI MISTRUW / ZA NORBERTA STARIHO PRZISEZNICH / A STARSICH TOVARISSVW / WACZLAVA HOLECZKA / JOSEPHA PEBANKA. Along the perimeter below the cartouche is a two-line inscription in German mentioning

Joseph Rosum and the date 30- Oktober 1818. On one of two plates on the lid is the inscription: Es lebe wohl / unser H: / Herbergsvater / Joseph Rosum / im Jahr 1818; another states: Es lebe wohl / der edle H: / Zunftinspecteur / H: Rath Joseph / Birner. Six plates along the girth of the vessel bear exalting inscriptions with the names of the members of

the guild: Es leben wohl / die. H: Beysitzemeister / Wenzel Soukub / Franz Bussek; Es leben wohl / die H: ältesten Gesellen / der Bruderschaft / Wenzel Zdrahal / Martin Franek; Die ist / zum Andenken / beigeschaft worden / den 30- Oktober / 1818; Vivat / die Kleidermacher / Gesellen / Brudenschaft and Es leben wohl / alle nach unser / zugewanderten Brüder.

Inside the lid is part of a workmaster’s mark, which author Ladislav Lábek mentioned as belonging to Pilsen pewterer Franz Albert (1747–1801), who lived on Andělská (today’s Bezručova) Street. The goblet was originally acquired in 1880 for the gold relic collection held by the History Department at the Municipal Museum in Pilsen, but it was later transferred to the decorative art collection. (JMl)