Among the several maces presented at the exhibition, serving as ceremonial weapons for officers, this one is considered the most beautiful. It comes from the armoury of the princely Sapieha family and was associated with the figure of Hetman Stanislaw Jabłonowski (1634-1702), one of the commanders at the Battle of Vienna in 1683. The mace is made entirely of pure gold, making it unique among objects of its kind. The elaborate and intricate embellishments with niello and precious stones make it an item not for war, but jewellery.
But did it really belong to Stanislaw Jablonowski, as the family tradition would have it?
The research clearly indicates that the object dates from the second quarter of the 18th century and therefore could not have been owned by the Hetman. However, this does not detract from its significance. It is one of the artefacts that testify to the unusual phenomenon of the cult of Vienna mementos, both real and imaginary, being an element of collector and family desire for many decades after Jan III’s famous victory.
Ottoman Empire or Poland (?), half of the 18th c.
Gold, iron, ruby, rock crystal, niello, polishing, chiselling, embossing, engraving, forging
From the former amoury of Sapieha family in Krasiczyn