OBJECT FILE
The Luck of Edenhall
FOLLOWV&A South Kensington, Medieval & Renaissance galleries, London, England, United Kingdom
THE OBJECT
An enamelled and gilded glass beaker, 15.8 cm high, made in Syria or Egypt in the mid-14th century, in a 15th-century boiled-leather case marked IHS. It was handed down in the Musgrave family of Eden Hall, Cumberland, and is first documented by name in Sir Philip Musgrave's will of 1677. It is on permanent view in the V&A's Medieval & Renaissance galleries.
REPORTED ACTIVITY
Fairies drinking at St Cuthbert's Well near the Hall were disturbed and fled, leaving the cup and crying 'If this cup should break or fall / Farewell the Luck of Edenhall!' (told by the Rev. William Mounsey in The Gentleman's Magazine, 1791). The age of the legend is not known. The glass never broke; Longfellow's English version of Uhland's ballad wrongly says it shattered. Eden Hall itself was demolished in 1934.
WHERE IT IS NOW
On public display — kept by Victoria and Albert Museum. V&A South Kensington, Medieval & Renaissance galleries, London, England, United Kingdom.
PROVENANCE · 2 ENTRIES
TRACE ON THE MAP →1677 – 1926
The Musgrave family
Eden Hall, Edenhall, Cumberland, United Kingdom
Year-level. The family held it earlier than 1677; that is only the first record. Coordinates are the village of Edenhall (the Hall was demolished in 1934).
Source: Wikipedia, Luck of Edenhall ('first documented, and named as the "Luck of Edenhall", in 1677 in the will of Sir Philip Musgrave')
1926 — CURRENT LOCATION
Victoria and Albert Museum (on loan 1926, acquired 1958)
V&A South Kensington, London, England, United Kingdom
Year-level. On loan from 1926, bought for the nation in 1958; on permanent view in the Medieval & Renaissance galleries.
Source: Wikipedia, Luck of Edenhall ('In 1926, the glass was loaned to the Victoria and Albert Museum, and in 1958, it was finally acquired for the nation')
PERSONAL ACCOUNTS · 0
REPORT AN EXPERIENCE →Nobody has filed an encounter with this object yet.
ADD TO THE CHAIN
Sign in to add a sourced step to this object’s history.