Objekt 14
Pipe bowl with view of the Spalentor
Description
This pipe bowl depicting the Spalentor has a lid made of silver. It is crowned by a basilisk with the Basel coat of arms. The basilisk, a fabulous hybrid of rooster and snake, has often been used as a coat of arms holder for the Basel staff since the 15th century, presumably encouraged by the similarity of the names "Basel" and "Baselisk". The inscription below the depiction "Porte de St. Paul" goes back to an erroneous derivation of the word "Spalen" from St. Paul, which was quite widespread in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Object description
Germany (porcelain); Basel (silver), Basel, 1st half of the 19th century
Porcelain with overglaze painting; silver
Inv. 1914.602.