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Lot Essay
The present example appears to be the earliest of the Greenwood goblets to bear an inscription. At the time Frans Greenwood, a widower since 1711, had a wide circle of friends and acquaintances in Rotterdam and elsewhere and it cannot now be established with any certainty whose friendship in particular was symbolically enshrined in this goblet, although Smit, op.cit (1988), has suggested his friend Arnold Willis, the publisher of Greenwood's first book of collected poems, or perhaps Maria Sijdervelt, a maiden whose desirable qualities had been extolled by him in a poem for her birthday in wijnmaand (wine-month, October), 1721.
Some drinking-glasses dedicated to friendship were already engraved in Holland in the 1680's, however, it was not until the second half of the 18th century that vriendschap (friendship) wine-glasses became really popular.
Some drinking-glasses dedicated to friendship were already engraved in Holland in the 1680's, however, it was not until the second half of the 18th century that vriendschap (friendship) wine-glasses became really popular.