I only recently learned about album amicorum (Latin for "book of friends") or liber amicorum, a European manuscript tradition, beginning in the 16ht century, where individuals—often students, scholars, or aristocrats—collected signatures, poems, illustrations, and in this case embroideries, from friends, colleagues, and notable figures. A sort of precursor to the Victorian autograph album, but these were comprised of loose pieces, collected over time, and housed in lovely boxes made for that purpose. (I realize now that I have come across individual pieces made for them, but have not found a complete box of them still together.) And more often than not, it seems the ones on comes across now are German, as this one is. What completely sold me on this one is the rainbow colored, perforated paper embroidery featured inside the box in first photo, with "Wit Vriendschap" (with friendship, though seems no translation is necessary) inked at center--simple, and to my eye just a perfect thing. Photos document the rest of the contents, including two more performated paper needlepoints and one on fabric, one fine floral graphite drawing, and six handwritten sentiments/verses. Plus an engraved insert of a castle on a hill. I have not dug into trying to identify whose collection this was or who the individuals were who contributed to it, but that could certainly be a project!
Box 6 1/8" x 3 3/8" x 5/8". Some cracking where the top of the box meets the spine, but otherwise all in very good condition.
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