Silver miniature Star of Bethlehem with Three Kings

PHOTOS REQUIRED - marks + item
Post Reply
oel
co-admin
Posts: 4770
Joined: Wed Mar 21, 2007 8:16 pm
Location: Rotterdam
Contact:

Silver miniature Star of Bethlehem with Three Kings

Post by oel »

Image

Image

19th Century copy of a 18th century miniature Epiphany scene, made by the Amsterdam silversmith Frederik van Strant.

Silver miniature, Star of Bethlehem with Three Kings. The Star can be rotated by pulling on a string either turning it to the right or left. Cast, hammered, engraved and base standing on 3 ball feet. Weight of miniature 46 grams, height 9 cm.

Epiphany is a Christian holiday which traditionally is celebrated every year on January 6th. It commemorates the three kings, The Magi saw a bright star that showed them the way to Bethlehem where Jesus was born. This miniature depicts the night before Epiphany when children in groups of three, dressed as king, singing songs and going along the streets houses. The three children carry along with them a large lantern, in the shape of a star. The star rotates by pulling on a string, in real life and in the silver miniature.

http://www.franshalsmuseum.nl/nl/collec ... ehem-3228/



The (hall)marks are spread over the miniature to prevent fraudulent use of those marks.

Image

Image

Image



 Image

The maker's mark RS above 2 for; Rinze Jans Spaanstra a well known Frisian silversmith registered in Drachten-Wommels-Berlicum-Nijehaske from 1843-till 1896. Known for making copies of antique silver pieces, in the traditional way and the use of pseudo/fantasy marks to create an antique look.

Image
The year letter Gothic h for 1892.

The Dutch lion rampant, standard mark 934/1000 fineness with export key mark to indicate 2/3 duty restitution upon export.

Image

The Office mark or Minerva head stamped on Star.
Image

Image

British sponsor mark J.M in a lozenge for Joseph Morpurgo who was noted as a foreign (Dutch) dealer and registered his mark on 16 September 1892. Reference J.D. Culme's two-volume work entitled The directory of gold & silversmiths jewellers & allied traders 1838-1914 (Woodbridge, Antique Collectors' Club, 1987, Vol. II) gratiude Library of the goldsmiths.co.uk . The Dutch based company was founded by Joseph M. Morpurgo in 1869
London import marks for 1892.



Peter
silverbox
Posts: 48
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2016 5:24 pm

Re: Silver miniature Star of Bethlehem with Three Kings

Post by silverbox »

Fantastic piece
Post Reply

Return to “Dutch Silver”