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Commissioned by Isabeau of Bavaria for her husband Charles VI, and presented to the French king as a New Year's gift on January 1, 1405 CE, the Goldenes Rössl is a masterpiece of Parisian goldsmithing. The work is made of gold, enameled gold, silver, sapphires, rubies, and pearls

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Commissioned by Isabeau of Bavaria for her husband Charles VI, and presented to the French king as a New Year's gift on January 1, 1405 CE, the Goldenes Rössl is a masterpiece of Parisian goldsmithing. The work is made of gold, enameled gold, silver, sapphires, rubies, and pearls

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The Verdun Altar, located at the Leopold Chapel of Klosterneuburg Abbey in Austria, is a masterpiece of medieval goldsmithing made in 1181 CE by Nicholas of Verdun. Its three parts comprise 51 enamelled and gilded copper plates modeled on Byzantine paragons

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The Verdun Altar, located at the Leopold Chapel of Klosterneuburg Abbey in Austria, is a masterpiece of medieval goldsmithing made in 1181 CE by Nicholas of Verdun. Its three parts comprise 51 enamelled and gilded copper plates modeled on Byzantine paragons

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A 76 cm high silver-gilt hanap, enhanced with enamel, made in 1543 CE by the goldsmith Georges Kobenhaupt in Strasbourg, France, on commission for the marriage of Georges de Ribeaupierre with Elisabeth de Helfenstein. Now housed at the Schatzkammer of the Munich Residence in Germany

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A 76 cm high silver-gilt hanap, enhanced with enamel, made in 1543 CE by the goldsmith Georges Kobenhaupt in Strasbourg, France, on commission for the marriage of Georges de Ribeaupierre with Elisabeth de Helfenstein. Now housed at the Schatzkammer of the Munich Residence in Germany

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Polish eagle with a garnet body. Poland, 2nd quarter of the 17th century, enamel on gold, garnet, rubies, emeralds and pearls. Commissioned by King Władysław IV of Poland. In the collection of Louvre Museum.

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Polish eagle with a garnet body. Poland, 2nd quarter of the 17th century, enamel on gold, garnet, rubies, emeralds and pearls. Commissioned by King Władysław IV of Poland. In the collection of Louvre Museum.

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Flower bouquet from late 17th century Florence or Vienna. Made of gold, partially enameled, silver, gilt, diamonds, emeralds, rubies, blue sapphires, hyacinths, and hessonites. Part of the Imperial Treasury, Vienna

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Flower bouquet from late 17th century Florence or Vienna. Made of gold, partially enameled, silver, gilt, diamonds, emeralds, rubies, blue sapphires, hyacinths, and hessonites. Part of the Imperial Treasury, Vienna

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The Pendulum Clock of the Creation of the World, made in 1754 for the French king Louis XV. Made from wood, iron, glass, gilt copper and silvered/patinated bronze, this astronomical clock presents Earth as a rotating sphere alongside celestial bodies and lunar phases

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The Pendulum Clock of the Creation of the World, made in 1754 for the French king Louis XV. Made from wood, iron, glass, gilt copper and silvered/patinated bronze, this astronomical clock presents Earth as a rotating sphere alongside celestial bodies and lunar phases

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Henrik Immanuel Wigström for Fabergé, Vase, 1908. Nephrite, guilloché enamel, silver-gilt, gold, cabochon moonstones and chalcedony. This vase was presented to King Edward VII by his nephew by marriage Tsar Nicholas II when the King visited Reval in June 1908

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Henrik Immanuel Wigström for Fabergé, Vase, 1908. Nephrite, guilloché enamel, silver-gilt, gold, cabochon moonstones and chalcedony. This vase was presented to King Edward VII by his nephew by marriage Tsar Nicholas II when the King visited Reval in June 1908

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The Treasure Foot of Basel Cathedral, dating to 1450, is an extraordinary reliquary crafted from silver, copper, gold, pearl, enamel, precious stones, and glass. It contains the bones of a child’s foot, traditionally associated with the massacre in Bethlehem ordered by King Herod.

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The Treasure Foot of Basel Cathedral, dating to 1450, is an extraordinary reliquary crafted from silver, copper, gold, pearl, enamel, precious stones, and glass. It contains the bones of a child’s foot, traditionally associated with the massacre in Bethlehem ordered by King Herod.

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One of the masterpieces of Gothic metalwork, the great gilt-copper and enamel Reliquary Shrine of Saint Eleutherius in the cathedral of Tournai, in Belgium, was commissioned by Bishop Walter de Marvis of Tournai and completed in 1247 CE

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One of the masterpieces of Gothic metalwork, the great gilt-copper and enamel Reliquary Shrine of Saint Eleutherius in the cathedral of Tournai, in Belgium, was commissioned by Bishop Walter de Marvis of Tournai and completed in 1247 CE

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The reliquary of the Holy Blood, now kept in the Crypt of the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Boulogne-sur-Mer in France, is a masterpiece of 14th-century CE enameled goldsmithing, attributed to Guillaume Julien

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The reliquary of the Holy Blood, now kept in the Crypt of the Basilica of Notre-Dame de Boulogne-sur-Mer in France, is a masterpiece of 14th-century CE enameled goldsmithing, attributed to Guillaume Julien

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Enameled Hookah set with diamonds in floral designs. Gold chains with pearls and carved emerald beads inlaid with diamonds hang from the cover. Presented to Edward VII, Prince of Wales, during his tour of India in 1875-76 by Ranbir Singh, Maharaja of Kashmir

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Enameled Hookah set with diamonds in floral designs. Gold chains with pearls and carved emerald beads inlaid with diamonds hang from the cover. Presented to Edward VII, Prince of Wales, during his tour of India in 1875-76 by Ranbir Singh, Maharaja of Kashmir

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This cup, made for Duke Albrecht V of Bavaria, is covered in white enamel inlaid with delicate gold leaf-and-tendril ornament, and studded with 36 large sapphires. The warrior in Classical armour on the lid holds aloft a sapphire ring. 1563 CE, now housed at the Munich Residenz

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This cup, made for Duke Albrecht V of Bavaria, is covered in white enamel inlaid with delicate gold leaf-and-tendril ornament, and studded with 36 large sapphires. The warrior in Classical armour on the lid holds aloft a sapphire ring. 1563 CE, now housed at the Munich Residenz

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An ornamental jug made around 1570 CE by the famous Nuremberg goldsmith Wenzel Jamnitzer. Mother-of-pearl spiral shells, mount silver-gilt, partly enamelled. Now housed at the Munich Residenz in Germany

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An ornamental jug made around 1570 CE by the famous Nuremberg goldsmith Wenzel Jamnitzer. Mother-of-pearl spiral shells, mount silver-gilt, partly enamelled. Now housed at the Munich Residenz in Germany

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This extraordinary table from the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Russia, is the greatest masterpiece to have been created using the “piqué” technique. It was made by Giuseppe Sarao in Naples, Italy, in circa 1730-1740 CE using tortoiseshell piqué with gold and mother-of-pearl

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This extraordinary table from the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg, Russia, is the greatest masterpiece to have been created using the “piqué” technique. It was made by Giuseppe Sarao in Naples, Italy, in circa 1730-1740 CE using tortoiseshell piqué with gold and mother-of-pearl

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Foot reliquary from the Basel Minster treasury, 1450, silver, copper, gold-plated, mother of pearl, enamel, pearls, gemstones and glass.

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Foot reliquary from the Basel Minster treasury, 1450, silver, copper, gold-plated, mother of pearl, enamel, pearls, gemstones and glass.

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A jade burial suit is a ceremonial suit made of pieces of jade in which royal members of China's Han dynasty were buried. The top one for example belongs to the king Liu Wu , and was made from more than 4,000 pieces of jade linked together with gold wire

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A jade burial suit is a ceremonial suit made of pieces of jade in which royal members of China's Han dynasty were buried. The top one for example belongs to the king Liu Wu , and was made from more than 4,000 pieces of jade linked together with gold wire

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This golden carriage, made from gilded walnut wood, is an opulent state coach commissioned in 1638 CE by Johann Eggenberg to announce the election of Emperor Ferdinand III to the Pope. The coach was used as a special showpiece to carry the gifts to the Pope through the streets of Rome

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This golden carriage, made from gilded walnut wood, is an opulent state coach commissioned in 1638 CE by Johann Eggenberg to announce the election of Emperor Ferdinand III to the Pope. The coach was used as a special showpiece to carry the gifts to the Pope through the streets of Rome

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Crown of Augustus III of Saxony, made for his coronation as a King of Poland. Created by Johann Köhler in Dresden in 1733. Gilded silver, rubies, emeralds, sapphires and diamonds . In collection of National Museum in Warsaw.

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Crown of Augustus III of Saxony, made for his coronation as a King of Poland. Created by Johann Köhler in Dresden in 1733. Gilded silver, rubies, emeralds, sapphires and diamonds . In collection of National Museum in Warsaw.

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Veiled Christ is a carved marble sculpture completed in 1753 by the Neapolitan artist Giuseppe Sanmartino.It is formed from a single block of white marble,and was commissioned by Raimondo di Sangro,a prince of Sansevero,as the centerpiece of the Cappella Sansevero,in Naples,Italy.

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Veiled Christ is a carved marble sculpture completed in 1753 by the Neapolitan artist Giuseppe Sanmartino.It is formed from a single block of white marble,and was commissioned by Raimondo di Sangro,a prince of Sansevero,as the centerpiece of the Cappella Sansevero,in Naples,Italy.

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