Magnificent vessel in the form of a Nautilus sell, H, Jakob (amber carvers), Königsberg, dated 1659. Green Vault. IV 340. Amber different varieties, ivory, silver, gold plated by a wooden rod and foot cuppa are connected. H 34,5 cm, base: 14.5 x 12.0 cm  © Dresden State Art Collections 2013

The excellent reputation of its creator Jacob Heise (d. 1667) may have been important reasons that this outstanding masterpiece Kaliningrad amber art was selected as a diplomatic gift first order. There is documented evidence that the shell as a gift of Frederick William of Brandenburg for Johann Georg II of Saxony was determined. On 6 May 1662 thanked this sent over for the two bears and the amber shell. For the shell of a hand was born in the form of the Nautilus sea Godfather. On the other hand, it is as an adaptation of a stone carving in the early 17th Century well-known "shell-shaped" vessel type interpretable. The body of the vessel was assembled from more than 30 different bent, decorated in high relief with tiny, mostly transparent amber plates with maritime scenes. In addition, male and female nature wonders of the sea came in the form of caryatids. A contoured, multi-part strip of light opaque amber is the shell edge and ends in a sweeping volute with grotesque mask. There Neptune, the god of the seas perched on a monster with flaked skin. Jacob Heise left with this extensively signed ornamental pot not only an impressive testimony to his artistic mastery, but also the evidence for the localization of the Heisenberg-workshop to Königsberg. Same time, this dish is for the attribution of other works of Jacob Amber Heise and his workshop invaluable.

Octagonal decorative charger. Schreiber, Georg (amber carvers), Konigsberg 1620-1630. Green Vault. III 86. Amber different varieties, silver gilt; 4.5 x 48.8 x 40.3 cm © Dresden State Art Collections 2013

The octagonal bowl is made of different colors, assembled partly carved and partly smooth polished amber segments and by a stable "frame" of silver gilt strips, similar to the construction of the pot (see Inv. No. III 82), passed. On the longitudinal and lateral sides of the shell edge, the representations were once the place of the four smooth polished plates of pale amber "four monarchies" of white amber. Were evidently meant the rulers of the four mighty empires Assyria, Persia, Greece and Rome, the fall of the prophet Daniel, a dream of the Babylonian king Nebuchadnezzar pointing, had foretold in the Old Testament. Still in the inventory of Camin-room of the Green Vault (1879) these reliefs were obtained in the chamber through the art inventory (after 1732) the traditional state, however, were described as "very blurred". The leader of the Green Vault from 1884 they are no longer mentioned. Because of their poor condition must be removed and they have replaced 1880-1884 by four smooth polished amber panels. In the center of the shell there is a relief. It shows the flight of the Roman Cloelia who escaped with her companions from the camp of the Etruscan King Porsena over the Tiber. The composition goes back to a detail engraving by Georg Pencz.

Female figure with a loincloth (Lampetia?). Dobbermann, Jacob (amber carvers), Kassel, in 1725. Green Vault. III 94. Amber (Bernstein) different varieties, wood pedestal with amber incrustations; Mass: 164 g, H Figure 12.5 cm, H 20.1 cm overall, pedestal B 6.8 cm, D 6.3 cm. © Dresden State Art Collections 2013

The statuette of a woman with loin cloth is one of the best artistic, ever carved out of amber. Once wore the graceful beauty on her head "a gilded sun," as will be read in the inventory in 1879. This attribute is the interpretation of the figure in which it was long believed to recognize the goddess Diana, much easier. It could Lampetia, the Vibrant, be meant. Because in the Metamorphoses of Ovid is described as one of Heliopolites (daughters of Helios and Clymene), which lamented the death of her impetuous brother Phaeton. From the bark of poplars transformed into grieving sisters tears ran down, which solidifies in the sun fell down as amber drops. The creator of this dainty shape was especially artists who became known as Ivory Dobbermann Jacob, who had a preference for the depiction of mythological themes. Came in 1716 in the service of the Landgrave Carl of Hesse in Kassel, he remained until his death in 1745 "in court artists Birnstein." In Kassel (Staatliche Museen, collection of art and crafts and sculpture) is Dobbermanns signed Amber Group "Chronos and Cybele" and the statue of Cleopatra.

The Three Graces, Maucher, Christoph (amber carvers), Gdansk, circa 1680. Green Vault. III 64. Amber different varieties, wood pedestal with amber incrustations; 25.3 x 14.6 x 7.0 cm. © Dresden State Art Collections 2013

The grace of dance has been, and this is exceptional enough to cut out a large piece of amber as a whole. The women of fuller figure and exude a somewhat staid, not divine charm which actually would be appropriate to them. For the three Graces, daughters of Zeus, should as Aglaia, Euphrosyne and Thaleia spread grace, joy and beauty. The group comes from the equally become known as ivory and amber artist Christoph Maucher. Born in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Maucher was established since 1670 at the latest in Gdansk and there freelancing, that is outside the Amber Dreher active guild, which gave him independence, but also envy and resentment brought. Statuettes and groups of this highly talented Amber artist who perhaps had received his training at Nicolaus Turau (Turow) in Gdansk, are in Vienna (Kunsthistorisches Museum, Art Chamber), Modena (Galleria e Museo Estense), London (Victoria & Albert Museum) and the Würth Collection (Künzelsau) and admire the Berlin sculpture collection.

Cover jar with allegories of the seven liberal arts, Königsberg, in 1660. Green Vault. III 77. Amber, silver gilt, H 22.0 cm, W with handle 19.2 cm, 14.4 cm diam foot © Dresden State Art Collections 2013

The sockets on foot, lid and handle the tankard were limited to what is necessary for the stability of the vessel size. The body consists of eight slightly curved amber panels. Below the handle on that a vase is shown. Show the other seven the personification of the "liberal arts" (grammar, dialectic, rhetoric, arithmetic, geometry, music and astronomy), the distinctive costume of the time early to mid 17th Century. The Gefäßfuß consists of eight curved amber platelets in the wild land animals (lion, bull, rhino, elephant, deer, boar, bear and unicorn) are cut into battle position. The amber segments of the lid show birds with branches and marine animals with water deities. Under a smoothly polished amber disc on the cover there is a tiny ivory relief, which has the Old Testament story of the spies Joshua and Caleb on the topic. The described scenes and motifs arise for the amber tankard no coherent iconographic image program, as one example of contemporary silver vessels or ceremonial caskets from the mid-17th Century knows. The style of the carving and the type of mounting principle have the tankards as Königsberg work.

Jug with representation of Greek gods, Konigsberg 1640-1650. Green Vault. III 78. Clear reddish amber, gold, enamel, silver, diamond roses. H 20.5 cm, W with handle 13.4 cm, 7.1 cm diam foot © Dresden State Art Collections 2013

The pot can be attributed to the work of Georg Schreiber from Königsberg. It was a busy and sought-after artist and one of the first two masters of amber turners guild in Königsberg, which was founded in 1641 with the permission of Frederick William of Brandenburg (reigned 1640-1688). The pot has been assembled from various amber segments. In the upper zone are ancient deities represented in the lower masks and ornaments. For decorated with richly colored gold version Email southern German and Danish Flower enamels have seemed exemplary. Also French Stitch Books from this period show a similar floral motifs of elegance and refinement. The diamonds in silver at the mouth rim of the pot and on the lid added the Dresden court jeweler Johann Heinrich Köhler added in 1724, as a settlement has received

Great Basin, Königsberg, probably around 1605-1607. Green Vault. III 76. Amber different varieties, metal foil, silver gilt. Dm 46.0 cm. © Dresden State Art Collections 2013

Electress Magdalena Sibylla (1586-1659), who was born in Königsberg, daughter of Margrave Albrecht Friedrich of Brandenburg, could have received the precious piece on the occasion of her marriage to Elector Johann Georg I (r. 1611-1656) in 1607 as a wedding gift. This is suggested by the Brandenburg coat of arms and a cut in relief lovers, the opposite to each other, each covered by curved polished amber pieces are placed on the edge of the shell. The basin was made in a fascinating technology that enabled a very efficient use of precious multi-colored amber: In an elaborately constructed "scaffold" made of gilded silver amber pieces were used. Tightly joined together they produced a magnificent whole, got stability by a compact Rim. The rim of the bowl decorated with eight oval along Bernsteincabochons under which tiny reliefs are made of light amber bone. Arranged Alternating find represented the four seasons in rural scenes and the founder of the "four ancient world monarchies" (Julius Caesar as the ruler of the Roman Empire, Alexander the Great as a representative of the Greek empire, Ninos of Assyria, Cyrus of Persia), which as a symbol the transience of worldly power function. For this ruler displays a series of engravings by Adriaen Collaerts served by Marten de Vos as a template. Among some of the drop-shaped pieces of amber are tiny bones Brustbildnisse Amber hide. The ornamental bowl arrived in 1687 until long after the death of Magdalena Sibylla's death from the estate of the same name wife of John George II of Saxony (reigned 1656-1680) for Electoral art chamber and from there to the Green Vault in 1832.

Cassette on the cover of a couple in love with putto, Gdansk to 1675-1680. Green Vault. III 91. Amber different varieties, ivory, needle wood, paper, copper and silver-plated brass, iron pins. Weight: 1233 g, Dimensions: 32.3 x 25.9 x 18.0 cm © Dresden State Art Collections 2013

In contrast to the famous Amber tapes of Michel Redlin and his workshop Danziger, the walls of this three-storey container are above the base zone mainly composed of transparent amber pieces that have cuts or facets provided on the front sides with incised decorations are. The base area is made of wood inlaid with amber and filled with ivory reliefs. The "main level" is an assembled from succinic segments in the spring and Nuttechnik box. It is "self-supporting", ie without supporting wooden structure built in the interior, which increases the transparency of amber in a fascinating way, especially when incident light. The soil as well as the inside of the lid are decorated with ivory reliefs. Only after this casket is closed, you can open the mounted second. Also on this floor there is an ivory relief. Inside the two drawers on the narrow sides are miniature representations of lovers. Thus, the cassette is their splendor in its entirety and in its first hidden cost when you open it and look inside. That was their real purpose. As a container in the practical sense, it has never served. For the four placed on the base zone ivory reliefs with allegorical representations of the four continents engravings by Cornelis Visscher were from the beginning of the 17th Century used.

Cassette, scrapping on the cover of two boys, Gdansk to 1680-1690. Green Vault. III 96. Amber different varieties, needle wood, ivory, black mica, paper, copper and silver-plated brass, brass foil, iron pins; 20.0 x 21.9 x 15.6 cm © Dresden State Art Collections 2013

The assembled from different colored pieces of amber, made in the Gdansk workshop of Michel Redlin cassette is set faceted ball feet, between which slightly recessed engraved decorative elements, so-called Aprons, sit. Except for the top frame and encrusted with amber base zone of wood, which can accommodate a wide drawer, the cassette is "self-supporting" up (see also Inv. Nos. III 91, III 95, III 90). The narrow base floor is decorated with pierced carved ivory reliefs. On the front and back sides, these are elongated oval, on the narrow sides hexagonal landscapes and on the drawer along rectangular framed flower garlands. The hinged back cover gives a clear view of the amber pieces covered with soil surface in the center of an oval ivory medallion is used. It shows a scene from Ovid's Metamorphoses, which tells of a fateful love affair of Zeus. This "en relief" cut history is surrounded by numerous smooth ground, amber opaque segments which fill the bottom of the cassette. Clear amber pieces in diamond and oval which are engraved on the reverse and backed with metal foil were also fitted decorative very effective in the soil surface.

Jug in the form of a ship, Schreiber, Georg (amber carvers), Konigsberg 1620-1630. Green Vault. III 82. Amber different varieties, ivory, silver gilt; 22.3 x 21.8 x 9.7 cm, base 8.6 x 6.1 cm  © Dresden State Art Collections 2013

1662 "shaped as a worm or skiff" pot is listed as access to the Dresden Art chamber. It consists of thin amber panels that received their original form, but also stability through narrow, gilded silver strips. The amber segments with flowers, fruits, grotesques and scrollwork decorated en relief appropriate and just inserted into the socket. The larger plates on both sides of the inlet, of course, never had a practical sense, show the allegorical figures from Europe and Asia. On the curved silver bars that form the spout, squat two completely identical dragons cut out of thin sheet silver, engraved and gilded. The lid originally graced the figures of Neptune and Orpheus from light amber bone that were lost or broken. Earliest in 1880 was replaced by the Missing the little cherub stored. The pot as well as an associated pool (see Inv. No. III 86), also to admire the Amber Cabinet in the Green Vault, are among the most beautiful works of Georg Schreiber. It was a busy and sought-after artist and one of the first two masters of amber turners guild in Königsberg, which was founded in 1641 with the permission of Frederick William of Brandenburg (reigned 1640-1688).

Hourglass for an hour, probably Gdansk, 2 Half of the 17th Century. Green Vault. III 93. Amber different varieties, wood, glass, brass rods, brass foil, textiles, silver-coated metal filaments, sand; 14.1 x 5.7 x 5.7 cm © Dresden State Art Collections 2013

The hour glass is one of the very rare examples, there are the frames made of amber. The sand-glass is composed of two separate glass flask. The junction was probably cemented with pitch, wax or resin and dressed for decorative reasons, probably to ensure stability with fabric. The two bases of the hourglass are made of pine, glued to the different colored amber plate (inlaid) were.The front side surfaces are veneered with transparent back engraved amber pieces and to increase the luminosity deposited with brass foils. Four brass rods have been "lined up" to the hollowed amber pieces that connect the bases together and make the case complete. The lost Eckapplikationen were added during the restoration completed in 2002. The model for this supplement was almost identical in the Hourglass (Hamburg) Altona Museum. There is no doubt that both hourglasses come from the same workshop. Very similar materials and design features has an hourglass in the collection of the Catherine Palace (Pushkin / Tsarskoye Selo).

Humpback Cup with Venus, 2 Half of the 16th Century; Green Vault. III 92. Amber in different varieties, silver, gold plated, mirror glass. H 16.0 cm (without figure). © Dresden State Art Collections 2013

How the Cup series with hump (see Inv. No. IV 329) includes the humpback Cup with Venus, although later changed to the few remaining testimonies of Königsberg amber art from the second half of the 16th Century. An idea of its original appearance has the back of the structured into two rows hump cuppa. Probably a strong damage that had resulted in the loss of about two thirds of the upper hump series could have been the cause for the revision of the dainty Cup, which made it an elegant showpiece of the late Baroque: You placed inside the vessel, the figure of a small Venus with screen. A fixed mirror in Kuppaboden imitates water and let be the pretiöse decorative vessel to a quite unusual erotic sexy "Venus bath". When this addition was made is uncertain. It can be assumed that the heavily damaged hump trophy to pieces of non-inventoried "shell" was in the Green Vault and have been transformed into a new work of art by baroque taste before in 1733.

Pokal with Humpback rows, Konigsberg 1570-1580. Green Vault. IV 329. Amber different varieties, applications of carved bone amber, metal foil; H 23.0 cm © Dresden State Art Collections 2013

The cup has typical characteristics that those from 1560/70 to characterize the time incurred in 1600 in Königsberg Amber vessels of this type and connect with each other stylistically. All parts of the Cup, except applications from bone amber, were stilted. Unlike the virtuoso woodturning art pieces made of ivory, the brittle Amber only allowed for a relatively narrowly-sized room for maneuver within the machining on the lathe. Model prison have affected the Königsberg Amber turner vessel forms from the goldsmiths of the Renaissance. The only way to explain the striking hump rows that adorn the vessel.

Kabinettschrank: 1742 von König Friedrich II. von Preußen (reg. 1740-1786) an Kurfürst Friedrich August II. von Sachsen geschenkt © Dresden State Art Collections 2013

The Grünes Gewölbe (Green Vault) in Dresden has an exquisite and exceptionally diverse collection of amber art, which is one of the most important in Europe. In this special exhibition, the main works of amber art from the Green Vault will be presented for the first time in 60 years. The exhibition gives occasion for a further important part of the Green Vault collection to be academically researched and made accessible to a broad audience before being moved to its permanent new home in the Amber Cabinet of the Historic Green Vault in autumn 2006. The current exhibition will also inaugurate the special exhibition room of the New Green Vault, which is named after Louis Sponsel, Director of the Green Vault from 1908 to 1923. The exhibits include vessels, bowls, caskets, ceremonial cutlery and statuettes produced in the amber workshops in Königsberg and Danzig between the late 16th century and the first quarter of the 18th century. It includes works by such renowned master craftsmen as Georg Schreiber, Jacob Heise, Michel Redlin and Christoph Maucher. Amber art was among the most coveted of luxury goods and thus naturally also found its way into royal art and treasure chambers. Some of the artworks of the Green Vault collection were precious acquisitions, while others were diplomatic gifts of Prussian rulers. The great amber cabinet, for example, was given as a gift to Augustus the Strong in 1728 by the King of Prussia. The cabinet cannot be displayed for conservational reasons but a detailed article about it is included in the exhibition catalogue. Many beautifully-crafted objects will be exhibited which were once kept in the drawers of this cabinet. The small amber cabinet which came to Dresden in 1742 as a gift from Friedrich II of Prussia is another jewel of the Green Vault collection included in the exhibition. Other highlights are an amber pitcher and basin set (around 1620-1630), attributed to Georg Schreiber, as well as the signed and dated ceremonial bowl (1659) by Jacob Heise from Königsberg and an amber crucifix which came to Dresden in 1662 and 1678 respectively as gifts from Friedrich Wilhelm, Electoral Prince of Brandenburg to Johann Georg II, Electoral Prince of Saxony. This is also the chance to admire the group of figures "The Three Graces" (around 1680), one of the most famous works by Christoph Maucher from Danzig.