The castle's collections: the chests

15th, 16th and 17th centuryfurniture

The Hohkönigsburgverein and the museum
Purchases and donations at the origin of the collection

 

In May 1899, the town of Sélestat donated the ruins of Haut-Koenigsbourg to Kaiser Wilhelm II during his visit to Alsace.

A year later, the architect Bodo Ebhardt was chosen to restore the castle.

After eight years of work, the Haut Koenigsbourg Museum was inaugurated.

The emperor wanted to bring the building back to life with all kinds of objects on display along the tour route (furniture, tableware, artefacts, weapons, etc.).

It is the Hohkönigsburgverein, (Association for Haut Koenigsbourg), founded in 1905, which carries out this task by financing numerous purchases, through subscriptions from members of the association or the sale of postcards commissioned from Léo Schnug. Acquisitions are also supplemented by donations to add to the collection.

The Hohkönigsburgverein needs well-documented historical research to be able to present a museum on the history of Alsace, showing the medieval and Renaissance periods.

The association also publishes documents on the history of the castle for its members, such as ‘Bilder von der Hohkönigsburg’ in 1906 and the booklet 'Bausteine zur Geschichte der Hohkönigsburg. Urkunden, Akten und Regesten aus der Zeit des XV. Bis XVII. Jahrhunderts- Im Auftrage des Hohkönigburgvereins', authored by the historian Ernst Hauviller.

  • Purchased by the Hohkönigsburgverein in the first quarter of 1910 (before 12 April), in Benfeld
    Chest (Front Stollentruhe)
    Oak and iron
    Late 15th /early 16th century
    Origin: Northwest Germany

  • A ‘safe’: it has lots of ironwork straps to reinforce it and make it strong!
    It has numerous vertical ironwork straps on the sides and horizontal ironwork straps on the corners, ending in fleurs-de-lis.

  • Large lock entrance plate and two padlock lugs; two hinged handles on the front of the lid. Around the lock: rosettes and trefoils.

  • Front 'legboard'.

  • Oak or walnut, bone, iron. Velvet under the ironwork inside the chest.
    15th century
    Origin: Northern Italy (Lombardy?)

  • Fine decoration of inlays, bas-relief carvings and decorative ironwork.

  • The outside of the lid is decorated with lozenges and rectangles and the inside of the lid features a rich inlaid decoration of intersecting lines forming triangles, squares and lozenges.
    The inlays alternate between light and blackened wood. The motifs are punctuated by small white beads (made from natural coloured bone) and black beads (made from blackened bone or another material).

  • The front of the chest features geometric motifs and rosettes. These elements are inlaid into the thickness of the wood. The use of a wood that is lighter than the background allows for a play of colour.

  • Oak wood, iron. 
    15th century
    Origin: Flanders, Hainaut or regions under their stylistic influence

  • Infilling: Stone framework for the stained glass in a window, forming an ornamental network (especially in Gothic art).

    The decoration consists of low-relief sculptures with various motifs.
    Sculpted infills typical of late Gothic.

  • The infills of the three central bays feature small figurative motifs: on the left an imaginary animal, in the centre a crowned king and on the right an animal drinking.

  • This piece of furniture also has a wealth of beautiful fittings.

  • Oak, stone pine (pinus cembra) and various woods for the inlays, iron
    Second half of the 16th century or early 17th century
    Origin: Alsace? Middle Rhine ?
    Purchased in Bozen by the Hohkönigsburgverein.

  • This chest, with its softwood body, has a side compartment and six small drawers.

  • The exterior decoration consists of inlays, mouldings and bas-relief sculptures.
    It makes reference to the architectural vocabulary: three bays adorned with arcatures and separated by projecting inlaid pilasters.
    The back features a false wall.

  •  Six squares decorated with a lion's mouth can be seen at the junction between this simulated brickwork and the arcades.