A ham on a pewter platter, a roll of bread and a knife on a pewter plate, a tankard, a glass of beer and a salt on a partially draped table

This work was formerly regarded as an autograph work by Willem Claesz. Heda, and was endorsed as such by Professor Vroom. Another painting of the same composition, but of horizontal format, representing only the middle plane, is in the Dordrechts Museum, signed and dated 'Heda 1635'. Vroom, in his authoritative Modest Message, wrote of the Dordrecht painting (in comparison with the Dreesmann picture):

'The manner of painting lacks certainty and still seems uncontrolled in details ... [it] is characterised by a much less pronounced rendering of all materials present, which can be clearly observed in the spherical bread-roll and the ham represented in a somewhat two-dimensional way ... The balance of admiration goes therefore without doubt to the other work [i.e. the present painting].'

Vroom explained the existence of an inferior version with Heda's signature by hypothesizing that it was a studio work of high enough quality to be endorsed by the master's signature, much as was the practice in other studios, notably that of Rembrandt. He identified the artist of the Dordrecht painting - who was also responsible for the picture sold, Sotheby Parke Bernet, New York, 13 January 1978 (attributed to Willem Claesz. Heda) - as the Master of Dordrecht.