Pair Of Berlin Iron Neo Gothic Crucifixes C.1865 From The Royal Prussian SaynerHütte

An extraordinary, museum-documented pair of 19th-century Royal Prussian ornamental cast iron crucifixes (Eisenkunstguss), manufactured by the renowned Sayner Hütte.

Offered as a magnificent comparative study, this set presents the exact same architectural casting in its two distinct historical finishes: the classic blackened Prussian iron and the extremely rare, commissioned solid continental silver mounts. 

Historical Background & Provenance

In 1865, industrialist Alfred Krupp acquired the Sayner Hütte foundry. Shortly following the acquisition, a definitive photographic pattern book was created to document the foundry’s master models (Musterbuch Nr. 3), which is preserved today in the Historisches Archiv Krupp in Essen.

This specific Gothic crucifix model is officially recorded in that historic catalog. Furthermore, archival records and direct correspondence with the Rheinisches Eisenkunstguss-Museum—which is today appropriately housed directly at the historic Sayner Hütte foundry site where these pieces were born—confirm that the Sayner Hütte actively commissioned regional goldsmiths and jewelers for high-end, luxury commissions. Ornamental cast iron production at Sayner Hütte permanently ceased with the foundry's closure in 1926, making surviving examples of this caliber irreplaceable historical artifacts.

Design & Architecture

Gothic Tracery & Base: Each crucifix rises from an imposing eight-sided (octagonal) architectural base intricately detailed with openwork Gothic tracery windows (Maßwerkfenstern).

The Shaft & Cross: The cross features flared, stylized Gothic trefoil terminals with ribbed molding running along the upright shaft.

The Corpus Christi: Depicts Christ looking to the right (nach rechts blickend) with an intricately draped perizoma (loincloth).

The Finishes:

The Standard Variant: Finished in deep, traditional blackened cast iron.

The Luxury Variant: Features a factory-commissioned, solid continental silver Corpus Christi, INRI titulus plaque, and a memento mori skull and crossbones at the foot of the cross, providing a striking high-contrast aesthetic against the blackened frame.

Foundry Mark: Underside bears the authentic Royal Prussian Sayner Hütte foundry mark—the initials "S.H." within an oval cartouche.

Measurements & Specifications (Per Crucifix) 

Documentation: Musterbuch Nr. 3 der Sayner Hütte (Historisches Archiv Krupp, Essen); a comparative example of the blackened variant is held in the collection of the Rheinisches Eisenkunstguss-Museum (now located on-site at the Sayner Hütte). You can view the museum's officially documented piece in their online collection here: https://rlp.museum-digital.de/object/23413

Condition Report

Both crucifixes survive in exceptional, museum-grade antique condition. The cast iron structures are completely intact, free of cracks, breaks, or structural repairs. The blackened finish retains a rich, even surface across both pieces. The solid continental silver corpus displays a superb, authentic age patina highlighting the muscular detail of the sculpture. The Mementi Mori skull and crossbones is slightly loose but structurally sound.