Eight-Nation Alliance

William Cowan

White china christening cup

Item number: M100

Year: AD 1854

Material: Bone China

Provenance: Spink 2023

This white bone China mug with a cup holder and gold-trimmed decoration is a christening cup given to William Cowan in commemoration of his baptism when he was an infant. It bears his name and birthdate, May 10, AD 1854, inscribed on the side. William Cowan would later find himself trapped in the Beijing Legation Quarter during the Boxer Rebellion in AD 1900, where he participated in the defense and was awarded the British China Medal (1900) in AD 1902.

William Cowan was born in the eastern outskirts of Scotland, in a historic village known as Duddingston. Throughout medieval to modern European history, the church served not only as the center of faith but also as a recorder of a region’s population through its administration of baptisms, weddings, and funerals. Newly born infants were typically recorded in the parish register after baptism, making church records one of the most important sources for tracing family lineage in Europe. Christening Cups have a long folk history in the British Isles, often given as gifts by elders or godparents to commemorate a baby’s baptism and offer blessings. By the 19th century, a standard baptismal gift set included a set of utensils and a cup (or mug). These cups often bore significant dates such as the birth or baptism date, with the hope that they would accompany the child as they grew, serving as a reminder of the importance of their faith.

八國聯軍 威廉.考恩洗禮杯

物件編號: M100

年代: 公元 1854 年

材質: 白瓷

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2023

這一個帶杯座和鑲有金邊裝飾的白色骨瓷馬克杯,是襁褓之際的威廉.考恩受洗過後,由家人送予他作為紀念的洗禮杯,側面寫有他的名字和生日日期:公元1854年5月10日。威廉.考恩日後將於公元1900年八國聯軍之役中,受困於北京東交民巷使館區參與戰鬥,並在公元1902年獲頒英國「第三次中國戰爭勳章」。

威廉.考恩出生於蘇格蘭東郊,一個歷史悠久稱作杜丁斯頓的小村莊。從中世紀到近現代的歐洲,教會除了扮演信仰的中心,更是藉著主持受洗、婚禮和葬禮紀錄一個地區的人口。剛出生的嬰兒多半是受洗後,才會被記載在教區的簿子裡,教會紀錄可以說是歐洲找尋家族族譜最重要的資料。洗禮杯在英倫三島上有著悠久的民俗歷史,通常是長輩或教父母在嬰兒受洗後,贈送嬰兒的禮物並獻上祝福。進入公元19世紀,一套標準的洗禮禮物是一組餐具及一個杯子(或馬克杯)。杯子多半會寫上出生或受洗日期等重要時刻,期待這些杯子能跟嬰兒一同成長和提醒其信仰的重要。

See more:

類似/相同物件 請看:

英國 大英博物館 British Museum

https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78656/christening-cup-barnard–sons/

英國 皇家伍斯特博物館 Museum of Royal Worcester

https://www.museumofroyalworcester.org/discover-learn/collections/frances-eames-christening-mug/

英國 哈伯羅博物館 Harborough Museum

https://www.harboroughmuseum.org.uk/displays/historical-society-right-side/christening-cup/

更多相關訊息請參考:

美國 布魯克林博物館 Brooklyn Museum

https://www.brooklynmuseum.org/opencollection/objects/1867

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