Dutch Silver Miniature Collection Proves Popular at Auction

Silver miniatures such as these are thought to have been created either for wealthy young girls to furnish dolls houses in Holland, or as samples of the exact proportions of their full-sized counterparts, for Dutch merchants trading with America and Asia. They became desirable in England between 1700 and 1750, but were seen much earlier in some parts of Europe, in fact in 1571, Henry II of France’s daughter ordered a set of small silver ‘pots, bowls, plates and other articles’ to give to a Royal child. Their popularity never waned and the silver toys, which mimic full-scale domestic utensils, were commissioned for wealthy families that sometimes collected the contents of a whole house, storing them in a ‘cabinet of curiosities.’ 

The collection of 60 pieces had been amassed by a London collector between 1960 and 1990, with pieces dating from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. On the success of the sale of the collection, Matthew Barton, Head of the European Objects and Works of Art sale at Olympia Auctions, said: “I was delighted to see how strong the market is for real rarities, with much interest in these from the Netherlands.  Sometimes the prices are much higher for the miniatures than for full-size objects of the same type and date – toy objects can be magically fascinating.”

The tiny pieces are extremely detailed and beautifully crafted as works of art in their own right. Among other lots that saw competition was a chandelier by the celebrated Amsterdam silversmith Jan Bonket from c. 1770. It comprised of 24 lights, with three spheres and S scrolled arms. The detailing also included drip pans and cylindrical holders. It sold for £5,250 against an estimate of £3,000-£4,000 (lot 71). 

A miniature Dutch marriage casket was one of the more unusual items in the sale and saw lots of competition, resulting in a sold price of £6,250 – 3 times its low pre-sale estimate of £2,000 (lot 135). Full-scale marriage caskets derived from the tradition of the ‘knottekistje’, where a prospective suitor would offer coins wrapped in cloth with a knot, to entice his intended bride. If the offer was acceptable, she would pull the knot tighter to indicate her consent to proceed with marriage. As wealth increased the cloth was replaced by a decorative textile cloth, which later became a silver casket like the one in the sale. No longer a practical act of proposing, they became a symbol of engagement representing the romantic idea of giving your heart to another. This miniature version was engraved with vignettes of figures, with its domed lid featuring pairs of figures in the act of proposing. Decoration included scroll foliage, dolphins and birds and underneath was the inscription Dit heeft Fietke / Hiddes tot een Gedagtenis / aen Laes Jans gegewen alluding to it being made in special memory of two betrothed people. 

A charming piece that caught buyers attention was an 18th century miniature silver water cistern. It featured a curved front and pierced and shaped cresting, with a curved spigot and tap and a lidded reservoir was engraved with scrolls. Standing at only 5.7cm high, it achieved £5,000 - 20 times its pre-sale estimate low estimate of £250 (lot 103).

The collection which was offered in Olympia Auctions European Objects & Works of Art on November 22, 2023 (lots 71-135), also featured miniature candlesticks, salt and pepper shaker and saltcellars, a gravy boat, a charming decorative butter dish, cutlery and straining spoons, shaving bowl, a set of miniature dust pan, brush and fire tongs, a sauceboat, beakers, frying pans, including a ‘Poffertjes’ (pancake) pan, a colander, a coffee urn, cups and saucers, plates, a nutmeg grater, a tobacco box, a miniature tray, a miniature thread winder, a miniature spinning wheel, a miniature brazier, a miniature mortar, a miniature water cistern and a miniature coffee grinder each with moveable parts, wall sconces, a snuffer stand with scissor snuffers and even and a miniature griddle with a silver fish!