ROOM 83.
A collection of musical instruments: some very rare and costly, but mostly of recent date. There are few from mediæval times. Engravings and miniatures will tell us most about these. But the history of the development of the lute and violin, the clarionet and the piano, can here be traced. Of the early Nuremberg makers, whose instruments are preserved, the chief are—
- Conrad Gerler and Melchior Neuziedler (lutes and violins).
- Hans Meuschen (wind instruments).
- Sigmund Schnitzer (whistles).
- Pachelbel (organs).
The Bavarian Industrial Museum (Königstrasse) contains a collection of patterns and samples, ancient and modern, and a good technical library.
CHAPTER XII
The Arms of Nuremberg
“Da sass ein Vogel wunderschön,
Wie ein Adler war er anzusehn
Kohlschwarz, der hatt’ allda gehecket.
Seine linke Seit’ war ihm bedecket
Mit lichten Rosen, roth und weiss,
Fein abgetheilt mit allem Fleiss.” ...
Hans Sachs.
NUREMBERG is a happy hunting ground for the herald. The hatchments in the churches and the houses, and the arms in the stained glass windows are very noteworthy.
The arms of the city may be seen carved over the north and south main entrances to the Rathaus. You will also find them roughly painted on a little money-box in Albert Durer’s house. Durer, as was natural in an engraver, was fond of heraldic drawing. His engravings of the “Armorial Bearings of the Durer Family,” and of “The Coat of Arms, with a Cock,” and of the “Arms of Nuremberg,” are good examples of his work in this genre, whilst his last piece of pure etching was “The Great Cannon,” with the arms of Nuremberg upon it. I take the following account of the seals and arms of Nuremberg from Dr Reicke and Mummenhoff.
It was one of the privileges of the Council to have a seal of its own. Both Mayor and Council had their own seals. The Mayor’s seal, known to have existed from A.D. 1225 onwards, was of red wax bearing the Imperial Eagle originally looking to