Meisterwerke der Juwelierkunst - Drei Wehrgehänge des Kurfürsten Johann Georg I. von Sachsen aus den Jahren 1617 und 1624 in der Dresdner Rüstkammer

Abstract

The Dresden Armory preserves a numerous collection of precious edged weapons, which were used personally by the electors of Saxony or have been diplomatic gifts. The collection dates back to the early 16th century and shows a great quantity and typological variations of edged weapons. In the 16th and 17th centuries the light sword (“Degen”) and the rapier became extremely fashionable among European noblemen. As a symbol of chivalry and the visible possibility to defense oneself the light sword (“Degen”) and / or the rapier was worn attached to the belt by a sword hanger. Both, light sword and rapier, could be extraordinary valuable. Examples with hilts made of silver or gold, decorated with enamel or metal inlays, sometimes set with diamonds and rubies, pearls or cameos survived. The matching swordbelts and hangers were decorated the same way, thus forming a set with the rapier, the dagger and the scabbards. Some beautiful examples of such 17th century sets survive in the Dresden Armory.
In 1617 elector Johann Georg I. of Saxony (1585-1656) received as Christmas present a sword hanger made of gold thread, decorated with gold, enamel and diamonds. He decided to wear this extremely luxurious hanger with one of the most precious rapiers he inherited from his ancestors. Maybe this present inspired the elector to commission three new sword hangers with settings of gold and diamonds or turquoise in 1624. These jewelry-works were created by the Dresden goldsmith and jeweler Abraham Schwedler the Younger, whose bill survived in the Saxon State Archive. These three hangers Johann Georg I. designed to be worn with rapiers made of gold and decorated with gem stones. Only two of the rapier hangers of 1624 survived, but together with the golden hanger of 1617 they are finest and rare examples of extremely skillful jewelry-work in the first quarter of the 17th century. The basic idea of this article is to show, that the Dresden Armory not only represents one of the world’s greatest collection of princely weapons, but also - maybe unexpected - preserves jewelry-work of outstanding quality and elegance done by local jewelers, comparable only to the best jewelry collections in the world. In future these three hangers can be admired - together with the rapiers - in the permanent exhibition “The Elector’s Guarderobe” in the Residential Palace of Dresden.