Pair of men’s gloves, 19th c.

Pair of men’s gloves, early 19th century, I-Taranto. D-Berlin, Museum of Natural History, Malacozoological Collection, Inventory ZMB/Minor. 3823 (MS-inventory 1)

Original label for the gloves

Pair of men’s gloves, early 19th century, I-Taranto. D-Berlin, Museum of Natural History, Malacozoological Collection, Inventory ZMB/Minor. 3823 (MS-inventory 1)

Sea silk, plain right knit, 10 stitches/cm, length 22 cm, width 9,5 cm, right glove slightly damaged at the outer edge of the hand.

This pair of gloves was recorded in 1859 in the main catalogue of the department of Malacology of the Humboldt University. The original label gives information about its history: ”3823 Zwei Steckmuscheln nebst einem Paar aus ihrem Bart verfertigten Handschuhen. Seiner Majestät dem Könige im Jahre 1822 von dem Bischof von Tarent zum Geschenk gemacht” (in English: Two fan shells and a pair of gloves made from their beards. Presented to His Majesty the King in 1822 by the Bishop of Taranto).

Frederick William III. (1770-1840), King of Prussia, visited Italy in 1822. In November he stayed in Rome and Naples. Archbishop Giuseppe Capecelatro, the great promoter of the processing of sea silk, was 78 years old at the time and lived in Naples. Obviously, his house was still a centre of cultural life – it is therefore possible that the King of Prussia was also visiting the renowned Archbishop. More about this in chapter Historical aspects → Modern times → Giuseppe Capecelatro.

Ludwig Brühl mentions these gloves in 1938 in his book on the raw materials of the animal kingdom: “König Friedrich Wilhelm III. erhielt vom Bischof von Tarent ein Paar Handschuhe aus Muschelseide, die angeblich gut gegen Gicht und rheumatische Leiden sein sollten (Nemnich)”, (in English: King Frederick William III received a pair of gloves made of sea silk from the Bishop of Taranto, which were said to be good against gout and rheumatic complaints (Nemnich).)