Counter box 1725 - 1740

This counter box was made in Vienna, Austria out of porcelain and gilded metal. As the name suggests, it would have been used to keep count, possibly to track gambling debts. The rococo style, with its curves, delicate colors and gilded elements, was fashionable in the 18th century among the aristocracy. In Vienna, porcelain production was supported by the imperial court and was key to the city's cultural identity. The imagery of flowers and birds, combined with classical motifs, evokes the world of aristocratic leisure and pleasure. But behind the charming surface, there lay a rigid social hierarchy and the exploitation of labor. Objects like these serve as valuable artifacts for historians. By studying them, along with archival documents, we can better understand the social and cultural context in which they were produced and consumed.