Ewer and Basin

In August 1730, a shipment reached Jerusalem from the Commissariat of the Holy Land in Vienna. This included a series of significant gifts—among them, this ewer and basin—from the emperor Charles VI to be used in the churches of the Holy Sepulcher and of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Objects of this kind are used for the washing of the hands of the Custos during Mass, usually before the consecration of the Eucharist. Goldsmiths, such as Daniel Schäffler, produced objects like these for both religious and secular purposes. Originally from Dresden, Schäffler worked in Augsburg where he specialized in the creation of ceremonial pieces and toilette services.