A German enamelled Härtling family humpen [Familien-Humpen] possibly Thuringian, dated 1674, perhaps 19th century

the cylindrical form of purple tint, with applied footring and slight kick-in base, painted with members of the Härtling family, including the father Christian holding a goblet, his six sons, their mother Barbara holding a posy and their three daughters, all flanking a heart pierced by arrows and a woodsaw, above eleven white fields inscribed with their forenames, birthdates and deaths, inscribed above O'Gott biet du mir deine Hand, Ich sey zu Wasser oder Land, gottes segen mein Vergnügen ANNO DOMINI 1674. Allen denen, so Mich kenen. Den gebe Gott was sie mir gönnen, Es gönn mir einer wenig oder viel So weiß doch Gott daß beste Ziel. Mit Gott fang an, mit Gott hör auf, das ist dein schönster Lebenslauf. Dein Hoffnung sey auff gott allein, und thu darneben auch daß dein, So wird der Herr stets segnen dich, Hier zeitlich und dort ewiglich, An gottes segen, ist alles gelegen, between a gilt band with enamel dots and a white decorative border

Formerly Schiftan Collection, sold Dorotheum, Vienna, 27th-29th February 1936, lot 627
Fritz and Mary Biemann Collection, purchased April 1965

 

A.von Saldern, German Enameled Glass, p.141, footnote 280, mentioned
B.Klesse and A.von Saldern, 500 Jahre Glaskunst. Sammlung Biemann, p.351, No.333
W.Spiegl, Glas des Historismus, pp.256-25, pl.309

An almost identical family humpen, dated 1675, depicting the family of Dietrich Döbrich and similarly inscribed, in the Corning Museum of Glass, is illustrated by A.von Saldern, German Enameled Glass, pp.386-388, No.99. Further examples of these family humpen are listed by Klesse and Saldern, dating from 1664 to 1718, op.cit., p.351.

A 19th century copy is illustrated by Walter Spiegl (see literature below). Our example may have provided the design for this later copy.