Antique rare, walnut Almoner, Manufactured in Italy 18th Century with original key

Antique rare, walnut Almoner, Manufactured in Italy 18th Century with original key

Size 27 x 14 x 9 cm

Genuine mid 18th century church collection box with original hinges lock key and wood carrying handle . Perfect condition

The origin of the almoner box is very old. In 2 Kings 12:9, the priest Jehoiada bored a hole in the lid of a chest and placed it near the first altar. However, this was to fund maintenance rather than alms.

Pope Innocent III, at the end of the twelfth century, allowed some almoner boxes to be placed in churches so that the faithful people could at any time dispose their alms.

Many Catholic churches in italy have two collection boxes, one "for the church" and the other "for the poor".