November Uprising memorial mug

Made to commemorate the November Uprising (1830–1831, a Polish national insurrection against Russia, which broke out as a result of a conspiracy of Polish servicemen), the vessel is composed of several parts. The outer casing, in which the mug is embedded, has a handle and a lid clad with alder wood that is said to originate from the battleground of Olszynka Grochowska (1831), the main battle of the November Uprising, waged in Grochów, which today forms part of the Warsaw district of Praga.

When twisted off, the inside of the lid reveals the inscription “Grochów / z Olszynki / dnia 25 Lutego / 1831” (“Grochów / from Olszynka / 25 February / 1831”). Hidden under the lid is a circular plate with the musical notation of a melody to the rhythm of the Polish national dance called Mazur. Four coins from the period of the Kingdom of Poland are soldered to the bowl of the mug: 3 grosz copper coin, 10 grosz silver coin, 2 zlotys silver coin and 1 ducat golden coin. The inscription around the brim and the base reads: “Heavens announce the old prophecies of Lech / Poles! This is our Eagle, this is Our Land.” A 5 zlotys coin, minted in the period of the Kingdom of Poland, is embedded inside the twisted off foot. The foot bears the inscription: “God save Poland.”

November Uprising memorial mug
WARSAW (?); C. 1831
GOLD, SILVER, COPPER, ALDER WOOD, GILDING
MHW 2083
6 × 4,5 CM

Images licensed under: