Name 1
POTTERY VESSEL
Name 2
/
ID number
002.277.Idrija
Manager / Administrator
Idrija Municipal Museum, Prelovčeva 9, SI-5280 Idrija
Ownership
Public
Owner
Municipality of Idrija, Mestni trg 1, SI-5280 Idrija
Local / Original ID Number
510:IDR;RZ-715
Type of Object
Mine, Smelting

Description

Short description
The pottery vessel – basin for mercury is made of baked clay. The handle, the inner part and the outer edge are coated with a shiny glaze. It is round with a bulbous funnel.
Measures
Length 31.5 cm, width 29.8 cm, height 14 cm.
Materials
Baked clay.
Dating
End of the 19th century
Author / Producer
Manufacturer information is not known.
Picture attachments
Original use
The vessel was used for served for decanting or pouring Mercury, when weighing and filling mercury into steel flasks. The person performing the weighing added the missing Mercury with the ladle, or took it away if there was too much of it in the vessel on the scale, and poured it into the pottery vessel. In the process of decanting mercury into steel flasks, the main accessories were the larger cast iron vessel, in which the refined mercury was stored, a measuring cylinder and a scale for weighing and filling.
Present use
The pottery vessel is being preserved, secured and presented as important mining heritage of Idrija with exceptional universal values. It is a part of the mining collection of the Idrija Municipal Museum. Visitors can view it within the permanent museum exhibition “Five Centuries of the Mercury Mine and the Town of Idrija”. The vessel is also documented in the photograph displayed in showroom number 9 – “Production of Mercury and Cinnabar”. It can also be used for different types of mercury heritage promotions.
Original location
The Smelting Plant of the Idrija Mercury Mine.
Present location
Idrija Municipal Museum, Gewerkenegg Castle (showroom 9).

STATE OF CONSERVATION

History of conservation:
A conservation procedure was performed on the object. Therefore, no additional interventions are necessary. Security of the premises is taken care of.
Present state
good
Necessary activities:
Regular seasonal maintenance.

DOCUMENTATION

Addresses / collections / links etc. where further in-depth information is accessible:
- Inventory Book of the Idrija Municipal Museum;
- Kavčič, Ivica. Živo srebro: Zgodovina idrijskega žgalništva. Založba Bogataj, Idrija, 2008;
- Giumlia-Mair, Alessandra. Načini žganja rude v Idriji od 16. do 18. stoletja. Idrijski razgledi, 1, 2009, p. 77‒83;
- Zelenc, Anton. Razvoj žgalniških peči pri Rudniku živega srebra Idrija. Muzejski list no. 17, Idrija Municipal Museum, 2008.
Submitted
Mestni muzej Idrija
Submitted by
Miha Kosmač
Date Submitted
12. 3. 2018
Date Edited
Never