CIRCA 1760, THE GLASS ENGLAND OR THE NETHERLANDS, WORKSHOP OR CIRCLE OF JACOB SANG

Details

A Dutch-engraved light-baluster 'Greenland whaling' goblet
CIRCA 1760, THE GLASS ENGLAND OR THE NETHERLANDS, WORKSHOP OR CIRCLE OF JACOB SANG
The funnel bowl with a continuous maritime scene freely inspired after a print by A. van der Laan, with a three-masted lanteen-rigged sailing ship with flying pennants, with two sailors aboard pulling a barrel, flanked by two other sailors on the back of a whale, further with a sloop with two sailors in front of the whale, further with a sloop with six sailors pulling another whale, beside polished icebergs, an ice floe with two sailors shooting a polar bear, to the distance with a sloop with six sailors harpooning a spouting whale, further with four sailing-ships amidst icebergs, underneath the inscription 'T WELVAREN VAN GROENLAND EN DE STRAAD DAVIDS, 'the prosperity of Greenland and the Strait of Davis', the multi-knopped stem with baluster sections, oblique tears to the middle section, domed foot
19.1 cm. high

Special notice

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

See A. Laméris, 'Jacob Sang, Glasgraveur', in Vormen uit Vuur, 1996/1, nr. 157, p.7 for the illustration of the etching by A. van der Laan (circa 1690-1742), called 'Het Harpoeneren van de Walvis, of inwerpen van 't Harpoen'.
Hunting the whale in icy waters around Greenland used to be a dangerous but lucrative undertaking. The safe return of the whaler was therefore a good reason for a whaling company to show its appreciation to the management and skipper by commissioning a goblet.
Davis Strait, situated between Baffin island and Greenland, is the entrance to Baffin bay from the North Atlantic. It is a large stretch of water over 950 kms. cross at its greatest width and never less than 300 kms. wide.

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