Bone & Iron Chests, European, c. 1450

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Made in 1/12th scale by Wm. R. Robertson, 2013-2015 

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These reliquary chests date from about 1400 to 1500. Examples can be found in museums throughout Europe. They were small chests, actually miniature copies of larger chests, used to hold highly valued objects. In our modern world of miniatures they can be found in early dollhouses such as Titania’s Palace, the inspiration for Queen Mary’s Dollhouse. The chests are made from six pieces of bone held together with dovetailed corners and iron straps that are riveted in place. Each end has a hand filed rosette with convex or concave lobes. The locks work.