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Alex Schütz Collection · 2,200+ Objects
Object
Gallery
Click any object to zoom. Each one carries centuries of exchange, power, and meaning.
Bronze Bell
Myanmar · 19th c. · Bronze
Used as currency and ritual object. Weight determined value. Beauty determined status.
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Chevron Bead
Venice / Africa · c.1500 · Glass
Venice's trade secret that conquered Africa. Layered glass. 64 pieces in the collection.
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Silver Ingot
China · Ming/Qing · Silver
Sycee ingot stamped with official markings. Cut and weighed — not counted — for payment.
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Bead Necklace
West Africa · 18th–19th c.
A full strand was a significant sum. Worn as wealth, traded as currency, passed as inheritance.
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Bell — Detail
Myanmar · Bronze · Engraved
The engraving indicates origin and craft quality. The weight settled the price.
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Chevron — Close Up
Venice · c.1500–1900
The layered chevron pattern required extraordinary skill. No two beads are identical.
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These are just 6 of 2,200+ objects. The full story is in the newsletter.
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ASC · Pre-Monetary Currencies · Vienna · 2026