Cabinet of Curiosities Travel

1	Household and travelling pharmacy in a box divided into 16 compartments for medicine bottles, probably 1st quarter of the 19th century, Walterswil BE, RS-13.354
2	Passport for the architect Christoph August Robert Roller (1805-1858), 1829, Burgdorf, RS-10.1564.d
3	Rosary with two medallions, depiction of the Virgin Mary indicates origin from Lourdes in France; Mexico, North America; gift from Eléonore Sennwald 2002, ES-21486
4	Tin box with mountain picture, for coloured pencils Prismalo of the brand “Caran d’Ache”, 20th century, Burgdorf, RS-36.52
5	Red tin box for first aid material, labelled “Notverband”, 20th century, Bern, RS-28.207
6	Travelling dominoes: 33 ivory pieces in a small metal box with glass lid, Basel, RS-13.997
7	Camera of the brand “Voigtländer” in leather case, Made in West Germany, 2nd half of the 20th century, Wynigen, RS-23.474
8	Small black binoculars in metal housing, undetermined date, Hasle near Burgdorf, RS-25.190
9	Sundial and compass in a metal frame, probably 1st quarter of the 20th century, Burgdorf, RS-13.1046
10	Wooden walking stick, the handle carved with figures by Christian Gehri (1808-1882), 19th century, Burgdorf, RS-13.464
11	Stock flute in C made of wood, with ivory and metal rings, after 1800, Sumiswald, RS-13.1109
12	Thorens” travel record player in case with carrying strap, 20th century, Burgdorf, RS-20.455
13	Hermes Baby” travel typewriter in a grey case, 20th century, Burgdorf, RS-30.78
14	Model of an outrigger boat; Sri Lanka, Asia; gift from Henri Schiffmann 1904, ES-2302
15	Toy: Wooden steamboat, without inv. no.
16	Model of a barge; Borneo, Southeast Asia; gift from Arthur Speyer Ethnographica-Handel Berlin 1929, ES-1914
17	Boat model made of beech bark; Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, South America; gift from Henri Schiffman 1904, ES-801
18	Model boat with oarsmen; Cameroon, Central Africa; gift from Armin and Charles Im Obersteg 1927, ES-SIO-4.29
19	Rotatable map of the starry sky made of black cardboard with gold-coloured lettering, ca. 1900, Burgdorf, RS-37.36
20	Nautical chart (staff chart) of the Ralik Islands; Marshall Islands, Pacific Ocean; purchased from the Umlauff company, Hamburg; gift from curator Arnold Kordt 1936, ES-4686 Orientation artists Sailors of Marshall Islands had a reputation in the Pacific Island world for being experts in astronomy, oceanography and meteorology. Without a compass, they could navigate using constellations, clouds, flocks of birds, waves and light at sea. With “maps” formed of sticks, the sailors taught their children how to find an island and avoid atolls. The shells and corals represent islands, the sticks represent the movements of the sea. Only those who had trained with these stick cards had the right to sail at sea. Each Marshallese chief employed his navigation experts who passed on their knowledge only to a chosen few.
21	Coloured copperplate engraving: Map of Asia, 1608, created by the Dutch geographer, mathematician and astronomer Willem Janszoon Blaeu (1571-1638), 1608, Burgdorf, RS-11.640.a
22	Coloured copperplate engraving: Map of the Americas, 1608, created by the Dutch geographer, mathematician and astronomer Willem Janszoon Blaeu (1571-1638), 1608, Burgdorf, RS-11.640.c
23	Coloured copperplate engraving. Map of Europe, 1608, created by the Dutch geographer, mathematician and astronomer Willem Janszoon Blaeu (1571-1638), 1608, Burgdorf, RS-11.640.d
24	Coloured copperplate engraving: Map of Africa, 1608, created by the Dutch geographer, mathematician and astronomer Willem Janszoon Blaeu (1571-1638), 1608, Burgdorf, RS-11.640.b
25	Toy: Rider on horse, plaited; Mexico, North America; gift from E. Schläpfer, 1994, ES-12248
26	Model of a cart with water buffalo; Philippines, Southeast Asia; gift from Albert Kappeler 1920, ES-2311
27	Toy: colourful wooden locomotive with coal wagon for tipping, 1st half of the 20th century, Burgdorf, RS-25.18
28	Toy: gold-coloured tin racing car with the English coat of arms, 20th century, Thun, RS-29.215
29	Photo of the flight with a hot-air captive balloon, on the occasion of the 1896 national exhibition in Geneva, 1896, Burgdorf, RS-34.122
30	Depiction of the major railway accident in Münchenstein on 14 June 1891, which caused 73 deaths and 170 injuries, 1891, Burgdorf, RS-11.833 Full steam ahead into the abyss When Switzerland celebrated 600 years of Confederation in 1891, many people travelled by train to take part in festivities. Emil Aeschlimann de Burgdorf was a railway controller and on June 14, he was working on the train from Basel to Délemont. When crossing a steel bridge built by Gustave Eiffel, the weight of the train with its 550 passengers, made the bridge collapse and the front part of the train fell into the River Birs. 73 people died and more than 170 people were injured. Emil Aeschlimann survived and was saved two hours later with injuries to the head, arms and legs. This remains the greatest railway disaster in Switzerland to this day. Two months later, the young father was sufficiently recovered that he felt able to travel as a passenger on a train journey from Biel to Bern. That day, there were festivities for the anniversary of the city of Bern and special trains were put on, one of which was waiting in Zollikofen station when the express trainfrom Biel ran into the rear of it. Fourteen travellers died in the rear carriage and many others were seriously injured. Emil Aeschlimann was physically well but, according to doctors, suffered a “traumatic neurosis” and could no longer work full time. He filed a complaint against the Jura-Simplon Railway Company and the Federal Court awarded him compensation for his partial inability to work.
31	4 photos from the ethnological collection, without inv. no.
32	Woven doll’s pram, painted white, with painted flowers, 1930s – 1940s, Burgdorf, RS-32.96
33	Children’s sledge with curved seat, made of green-painted wood, 1840s, Burgdorf, RS-13.612
34	Shells from all over the world as travelling souvenirs. Some of the shells are decorated and labelled, 20th century, Corsier-sur-Vevey, RS-47.1
35	Souvenir porcelain: Small jug in the shape of a cow, white and black spotted, with depiction of the village of La Côte-aux-Fées NE, 1st half of the 20th century, Corsier-sur-Vevey, RS-44.154
36	Souvenir porcelain: Small jug in the shape of a cow, spotted white and brown, with an image of Thun Castle, 1st half of the 20th century, Corsier-sur-Vevey, RS-44.155
37-40	Souvenir porcelain Switzerland, without inv. no.
41	Knife with decorated bone handle, indeterminate date, provenance unknown, RS-0.5540
42	Tourist souvenir, letter opener made of bone and decorated with a bird figure (marabou); Lambaréné, Gabon, West Africa; gift from Renate Striffeler 1999, ES-20178b
43	Tourism souvenir; Tanzania, East Africa; gift from Max Zürcher 1999, ES-20051k
44	Tourist souvenir, ashtray; Tanzania, East Africa; gift from Max Zürcher 1999, ES-20028
45	Tourism souvenir, leather key ring; West Africa; gift from Walter Staub 1995, ES-20297
46	Tourist souvenir, coconut carved into a figure; Indonesia, Southeast Asia; gift from Walter Staub 1993, ES-20237
47	Tourist souvenir, scene of the birth of Jesus Christ carved into a shell, Palestine, ES-21492
48-51	Tourism souvenir; Tanzania, East Africa; gift from Max Zürcher 1999, ES-20051b, d, e, o
52	Tourist souvenir, Massai figure made of wood; origin unknown; gift from Max Zürcher 1999, ES-20020
53	Tourism souvenir; Tanzania, East Africa; gift from Max Zürcher 1999, ES-20051i
54	Black fan depicting a peacock, promotional gift from the airline “Swissair”, 2nd half of the 20th century, Burgdorf, RS-23.234
55	Elephant tusk with carvings, tourist souvenir; Burkina Faso; West Africa, gift from Paul. W. Burkart 2002, ES-20451
56	Leather bag with postcard; Southwest Africa; gift from Eléonore Sennwald 2003, ES-21135
57	Tourism souvenir; Tanzania, East Africa; gift from Max Zürcher 1999, ES-20051c
59	Train tickets (printed cardboard panels), mainly from Swiss railway companies, 20th century, Burgdorf, RS-32.289
60	Transparent plastic overshoes, 20th century, Burgdorf, RS-25.447
61	Women’s shoes with velvet and gold embroidery; origin and provenance unknown, ES-12188a-b
62	Metal crampons for mountaineers, with leather cords for attaching to shoes, undetermined date, Burgdorf, RS-25.128
63	Children’s sandals made of rubber, leather and fabric; gift from Walter Staub 2002, ES-20462a-b
64	Straw sandals (waraji) with cloth straps; Japan, East Asia; gift from curator Arnold Kordt 1912, ES-2644 and ES-2645
65	Leather shoes with gold and silver embroidery; Africa, exact origin unknown; gift from Arthur Speyer Ethnographica-Handel Berlin 1930, ES-7064
66	Wooden shoe lasts, with brass attachment for adjusting the shoe size, undetermined date, Utzenstorf, RS-24.73
67	Birch bark shoes; Finland, Europe; gift from Susi Staub 1998, ES-20115a-b
68	Metal skate blades, for attaching to shoes, so-called “heel cutters”, undetermined date, Hasle near Burgdorf, RS-22.407
69	High felt shoes with leather caps and wooden soles, worn in 1944/45 in the German concentration camp Haslach in Alsace, 1940s, Burgdorf, RS-26.247
70	Sandals in red leather, decorated with a white leather strap; gift from Walter Staub 2002, ES-20460a-b
71	Rain shoes made of pink and transparent plastic with a white heel, 20th century, Bern, RS-29.177
72	Women’s leather shoes, ES-o.No._244
73	Children’s shoes (Geta) made of wood and lacquered fabric; Japan, East Asia; gift from E. Schiller 1922, ES-2685
74	Toddler’s shoes made of black leather, in size 18, ca. 1917, Altdorf UR, RS-30.385
75	Mandarin silk boots; China, East Asia; provenance unknown, ES-20378
76	Clog shoes (Geta) with cloth toe band; Japan, East Asia; gift from Marie Schafroth 1911, ES-2642 and ES-2643
77	Leather Circassian boots; North Caucasus, Russia, Europe; gift from Max Wüst 1918, ES-1743 and ES-1744
78	Wooden shoes with mother-of-pearl inlays; provenance unknown; gift from Henri Schiffmann 1904, ES-1266 and ES-1267
79	Leather sandals; North Africa; anonymous donor, ES-20160a-b
80	Sandals in red leather, decorated, with white and brown leather stripes, ES-20461a-b
81	Dark leather moccasins, ES-21004
82	Military shoes of the Women’s Auxiliary Service FHD in blue cloth bags, worn by Red Cross traveller Marion van Laer-Uhlmann (1905-2004), 1940s, Burgdorf, RS-31.311
83	Women’s leather shoes, ES-o.No._243
84	Snowshoes of the Sami; Northern Scandinavia and Northern Russia, Europe; gift from Susi Staub 1998, ES-20114a-b
85	Sandals made of fibres, braided sole, upper sole made of woven and embroidered ribbons in white, black, pink, ES-20463a-b
86	Cloth boots with leather soles from the Saami; Finland, Europe; gift from Susi Staub 1998, ES-20116a-b
87	High men’s shoes made of brown leather, for labour use, 20th century, origin unknown, RS-44.159
88	Lotus shoes, women’s shoes made of embroidered silk fabric; China, East Asia; gift from Marie Schafroth 1911, ES-2609
89	Toddler’s shoes made of white fabric, with leather sole, undetermined date, Burgdorf, RS-24.273
90	Embroidered boots; China, East Asia; purchased by curator Arnold Kordt from Mrs Hegner 1921, ES-2676 and ES-2677
91	Children’s boots made of fabric and leather; Tibet, Central Asia; gift from Mrs Schultheiss 1970, ES-20109a-b
92	Leather shoes; hinterland, Ivory Coast, West Africa; gift from Hermann Frickart 1921, ES-7034 and ES-7035
93	High men’s shoes made of black leather. Made by master shoemaker A. Gammeter for the 1883 national exhibition in Zurich, 1883, Burgdorf, RS-12.939
94	Women’s shoes made of black fabric, with platform sole, 1998, Burgdorf, RS-31.454
95	Sandals made from basa wood, Guatemala, ES-20389
96	Leather and velvet shoes with glass bead embroidery; China, East Asia; gift from Arthur Speyer Ethnographica-Handel Berlin 1930, ES-2696
97	Gold-embroidered cloth shoes; Sri Lanka, Asia; gift from Annemarie Braun 1936, ES-1812a
98	Winter shoes made of blue plastic, so-called “Moonboots”, made in Italy, 1990, Burgdorf, RS-38.111
99	a pair of children’s shoes with rubber soles; Korea, Asia; gift from Corine Bretscher 2004, ES-22286
100	Shoe in gold look, 2007, Italy, HGM-03.73
101	High children’s shoes made of black leather, with button fastening, around 1902, Mötschwil, RS-33.28
102	Clog shoes (Geta); Japan, East Asia; gift from Arthur Speyer Ethnographica-Handel Berlin 1932, ES-2700
103	Slippers made from braided plant fibres; gift from Walter Staub 2002, ES-20464a-b
104	Roller skate bases with stoppers, for strapping on shoes, 2nd half of the 20th century, Burgdorf, RS-22.415
106	Swift (taxidermy)
107	Pigeon (taxidermy)

This information has been machine translated. In case of doubt, the German version is valid. We apologise for any errors and are grateful for your feedback.

Legend of inventory numbers:
ES = Burgdorf Ethnological Collection
HGM = Swiss Gold Room Collection
RS = Historical Collection of the Knights’ Hall Association
SIO = Im Obersteg Collection (belongs to ES)