The rhythmic and symmetrical motifs of classical-inspired foliage surround a central nimbus exalting the monogram IHS, both the shortened spelling of Christ’s name and the later acronym “Iesus Hominem Salvator” (Jesus, the savior of the people). The Cult of the Holy Name, begun by Bernardine of Sienna in the 14th century, employed this monogram within a flaming nimbus; by the 16th century, the newly formed Jesuit order adopted the design as its official seal. A coat of arms on the lid features a hedgehog, a symbol for the Ricci family (possibly for Matteo Ricci, an author and early Jesuit missionary to China). The case held quills, penknives, and powdered inks and could be attached to the owner’s belt by means of leather straps.
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