MAKER'S MARK ONLY, INDISTINCT, POSSIBLY FRISIA, 17TH CENTURY

Details

A Frisian silver marriage casket 'knottekistje'
Maker's mark only, indistinct, possibly Frisia, 17th Century
Trunk-shaped, on four ball feet, openwork cast body with scrolling foliage and flowers, the sides with four oval medallions, cast cherub -shaped applied lock, the hinged cover with oval medallion engraved with a flaming haert and two hands, within band inscribed: 'als Trouheyt Liefde Blyke doet. De * Liefde Maeckt het: Paren Soet: , hinged swing handle, marked under base
7 cm. wide
140 gr.

Special notice

On occasion, Christie's has a direct financial interest in lots consigned for sale which may include guaranteeing a minimum price or making an advance to the consignor that is secured solely by consigned property. This is such a lot. This indicates both in cases where Christie's holds the financial interest on its own, and in cases where Christie's has financed all or a part of such interest through a third party. Such third parties generally benefit financially if a guaranteed lot is sold successfully and may incur a loss if the sale is not successful. Christie’s charges a premium to the buyer on the Hammer Price of each lot sold at the following rates: 29.75% of the Hammer Price of each lot up to and including €5,000, plus 23.8% of the Hammer Price between €5,001 and €400,000, plus 14.28% of any amount in excess of €400,001. Buyer’s premium is calculated on the basis of each lot individually.

Lot Essay

From the early 17th century it became a Frisian tradition that a man asked his beloved to marry him by presenting her with a coin knotted into a costly cloth. This cloth is named knottedoek after the special knot, knotte. If the girl drew the knot tighter, they considered themselves engaged. The knottedoek was later replaced by a small textile bag and in the late seventeenth century by a silver casket, which by analogy was called a knottekistje. Three types occur, trunk-shaped, hexagonal and circular. The most common type is the trunk-shaped on four ball supports with domed cover and swing handle. Frisian marriage caskets are delicately engraved with symbolic scenes concerning love and marriage. Apart from Friesland, they were also made in West-Friesland, the most northern part of Holland.(see L. van den Bergh-Hoogterp, 'Trouw moet blinken', Cachet (1999) 2/3, pp. 10-13; A.L. Den Blaauwen, Nederlands Zilver 1580-1830, Den Haag, 1979, pp. 19, 372-373; B.W.G. Wttewaall, Klein Nederlands Zilver, Abcoude, 2003, pp. 314-315).

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