Bible locks and their different styles, Mannerism or late Renaissance. Approx. 1600-1675

In this Blog we would like to compare the different style periods with the Bible locks in our collection, to show how the development of the Bible locks is linked to a time period.

Because the silver Bible locks were made more or less from the ^17th century onwards, we want to start with the late Renaissance or also called Mannerism. This style period followed the early Renaissance and the High Renaissance and ran from about 1600 to 1650.

Mannerism or late Renaissance. Approx. 1600-1675

The Bible locks in this day and age where very minimalist and functional. The locks were sober and averse to adornment. However, during this time more and more Bibles were printed and it became possible for large sections of the population to afford a Bible. The ^first Bibles that were printed were large copies and cost more than 100 guilders at that time. A small fortune. Not much later, however, smaller copies followed that were cheaper in terms of price. Locks from this period have often not been inspected. With or without an inscription.