The Importance Of Porcelain. Part 8

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This section is from the book "Dutch And Flemish Furniture", by Esther Singleton. Also available from Amazon: Dutch and Flemish Furniture.

The Importance Of Porcelain. Part 8

"In 't midden van de zaal daar stond een gueridon, Op 't zelve een heteltje, zo blank gelijk een zon. 't Trekpotje was bekleed met zuiver zilverlaken, Opdat geen vogt het goud van 't lofwerk zou mismaahen Waar meed het was beleid; de schoteltj'es in 't rond Van onder net beplakt met zagte stukjes bont, Uit vrees dat 't porcelein het lakwerk mogte schaaren, Van 't lief japansche-blad, 't geen ruste op drie pylaaren Van sakredaan, kaneel en pik-zwart ebbenhout. Het schenken van de thee werd juffrouw Rois vertrouwt, Die evenwigtig thee met water wist te mengen."

(In the middle of the hall there stood a table

Upon which was a small kettle, bright as the sun.

The teapot was covered with pure silver cloth

So that no liquid would deface the gold from the ornamentation

With which it was covered; the small saucers around it

Pasted underneath with soft furry cloth, so that

The porcelains might not scratch the lacquer

From the pretty Japanese tray, which rested on a tripod

Of sacredaan, cinnamon and jet-black ebony.

The pouring of the tea was trusted to Miss Rois,

Who knew how to mix tea and water properly.)

Thus we see that the tea-table was firmly established as a social institution in Holland by the middle of the seventeenth century, and porcelain was an important factor in interior decoration long before Dutch William drove the Stuarts out of England. A Dutch inventory of the time of the Glorious Revolution (1689) is worth citation for the sake of illustrating the prevailing taste and the price of porcelain of the day:

Statement and inventory of the contents and the goods of Dirck van Kessel and Chrestina de Ridder, left without owner by the aforesaid Chrestina de Ridder by her death on the 15TH of January of this year 1689 In the Porcelain Room.

	FLORINS.
Two porcelain "beguine" pots . . . . . .	150
One porcelain chamber-pot with cover ..	6
One porcelain box, without cover ...	6
Three porcelain preserve pots ...	120
Four large porcelain bowls ...	30
One high pyramidal shaped water jug ..	12
Two porcelain fruit dishes ...	15
A jug with a silver lid ...	10
A porcelain box with lid ...	12
One porcelain cover ....	10
One porcelain pot with handles ...	4
Two porcelain crackle bowls . ...	10
Four porcelain boxes ....	10
A little stewing pot ....	10
Two porcelain teapots ...	6
One porcelain sexagonal pot ..	20
Two porcelain printed oil pots ..	10
One porcelain stewing pan coloured, without cover .	18
One porcelain apple pot ...	30
Two porcelain crackle jars (one broken) ...	15
Two long porcelain boxes ...	5
Two porcelain "beguine" pots ...	30
Four porcelain boxes with covers ...	15
Four butter dishes . . . .	6
Twenty-four porcelain teacups with covers	48
An East India box with a bamboo ..	10
Thirteen (with inside decoration) ...	13
Two porcelain bottles with French flowers	60
Five porcelain butter dishes on the back yellow and green	10
Thirteen coloured tea-saucers (one broken)	8
Two porcelain cups with knobs on the covers .	6
Three large East India teapots ...	24
Four little East India teapots ...	6
Four old porcelain stewing pots ...	40
Five old long shaped bottles, one of which is in pieces .	30

	FLORINS
Four porcelain boxes that can be shut (with covers)	20
Eleven little porcelain pieces ....	5
Two little candlesticks with extinguishers ..	16
Two round shaped oblong bottles, one of which is in pieces .	15
Three porcelain small plaques ...	8
Six porcelain dinner plates ....	12
Eight porcelain printed red dishes ...	12
Two pots with Chinese acrobats ...	18
Two pots with French scrolls . ..	24
Two old porcelain bottles with a cover ...	15
Four porcelain pots with overlapping covers ..	48
Five porcelain swans ....	5
Eighteen porcelain cups, red, with one blue ..	12
Forty porcelain yellow cups ....	12
Four porcelain slop basins ....	12
Fifty porcelain co0ee saucers ...	30
Three porcelain sexagonal pin-trays ...	8
Five porcelain pieces, red and blue ...	3
Two old inscription bowls ....	16
Two porcelain bowls with birds on branches ..	20
One porcelain rosemary bowl . ...	8
Three porcelain coloured starch basins ...	6
One porcelain "beguine" pot with a delft cover	16
One porcelain sexagonal pot ....	10
One porcelain chain pot ....	10
One porcelain pot with a bottle ...	8
One porcelain bottle with Chinese ...	30
One porcelain "beguine" pot, with handles ..	30
One porcelain four-square "beguine" pot ..	6
Three Persian basins ....	8
Seven porcelain butter dishes ...	21
One porcelain, broken, openwork tray ...	2
Three porcelain mustard pots, with a perforated cover	8
Eight candlesticks . . . . . . .
Two porcelain butter dishes ....	21
One porcelain slop basin, one starch basin, and one crackle jar	5
Six porcelain printed cups ....	8
Three porcelain printed saucers ...	4
Twenty-one porcelain printed coffee cups ..	10
Ten coloured East India tea-saucers, cups with ducks painted on them .....	20
Two Japanese beakers ....	50
One East India beaker with Chinese letters ..	30
One East India beaker with pieces ...	12
One pot with a jardiniere ....	20
One Chinese pot .....	30
China Closet near the Windows.
Five East India half-size wash basins ...	70

]	FLORINS.
Five East India basins ....	40
Five East India basins ....	50
Five East India basins ....	46
Three old porcelain dishes ....	30
Three double butter dishes ....	20
Three East India round dishes, in three parts, with flower pots	30
One East India round dish, in three parts, with flower pot and stork	12
One engraved tumbler ....	20
Seven porcelain crackle bowls ...	24
Two old porcelain pots ....	15
One porcelain beaker with a crack ...	10
Twenty-four brown bottles ....	15
Four porcelain boxes with covers ...	12
One porcelain basin and mustard pot without cover.	3
Two porcelain salt cellars, with two mustard pots	12
Twelve teacups and saucers ...	48
Four porcelain perforated cups	15
Six porcelain perforated cups ...	18
Six porcelain perforated cups ...
Two East India slop basins with storks	10
Eight little old porcelain saucers ...	16
Six porcelain saucers with dragons ...	12
Six old porcelain saucers with frogs ...	18
Nine old porcelain saucers with handles ...	36
Two slop bowls .....	6
Six old porcelain cups ....	6
Two porcelain crackle bottles ...	30
Three porcelain breakers ....	3°
Three old porcelain dishes in three parts ..	10
Five old porcelain mustard holders ...	18
Seven old porcelain mustard holders ...	10
Five great deep saucers ....	20
Two porcelain blue bowls ....	12
Two porcelain blue small bottles ...	3
One porcelain new dish ....	4
Two porcelain butter dishes ....	8
Six porcelain butter dishes ....	15
Three porcelain butter dishes ....	6
Six porcelain deep saucers ....	12
One hundred teacups and saucers . ...	200
One East India mat with three Chinese figures ..	4
Upstairs in the Front Room.
Three pestles with flowers ....	40
Two printed cups .....	2
Upstairs in the Rear Room.
Two "beguine" pots with landscapes ..	. 70
One East India "beguine" pot with Chinese . . .	. 16
Two printed small bottes ....	40

	FLORINS.
Two small bottles with Chinese ...	25
Six teacups and saucers ...	15
One bottle with a small bird on a tree ..	10
Three butter dishes ....	20
Six little old small bottles ...	8
Six little old boxes with covers ...	8
Two teacups ....	6
Six dragon cups ....	6
Three flat saucers ....	4
Four coloured ribbed dishes or saucers ..	6
Six teacups and tea-saucers ...	15
Six dishes with a box cover ...	8
Two small baskets and two shelves ..	6
The porcelain on the shelves ...	12
In the Vestibule.
The porcelain in the shop, comprising thirteen pieces	24
In the Porcelain Room.
Firstly, an olive wood carved cabinet ..	. 250
One gilt and engraved jewel casket ..	50
One olive wood table with stands ...	25

"Now follows a collection of large mirrors, which we consider of less importance. Of more interest is the following:

	FLORINS.
148 sheets and one half of gold leather, being white and gold, valued at 23 stuyvers the sheet ...
	170.15
The pine-apple with colours (decoration), 44 sheets, valued at	52.16
61 sheets, the unicorn green and gold ...	70
80 sheets of gold leather ....	40
42 ditto ................	42
1 lot of remnants, leather ...	30
1 lot of patterns and friezes ...	100
8 screens .........	130
2 curtains and balance and the gold leather that hangs in the kitchen in the rear ....	9

"Hereafter follows again some porcelain and other articles, as -

	FLORINS.
8 painted figures...........	40
2 broken roll wagons (round shaped bottles)	24
1 porcelain stewing pan ...	12
2 half-size wash basins ...	24
2 ditto .............	16
2 porcelain bowls ...	4

	FLORINS.
6 porcelain cups with a broken wash jug and a broken roll wagon .....	4
1 delft stewing pot . . . . . . , .	4
6 gold leather chairs ....	20
1 clavecin .....	4
I bundle of old gold leather ...	20
I large cup engraved with a battle scene and a large cup with a vine ....	30"

The value of porcelain may be gathered from the pieces mentioned in the inventory of Joh. Gemeelen-brouck, "meester silversmith," in 1653:

GUILDER.		STUIVER.
In the shop ....	48
Four whole lamps ....
Sixteen half lamps ....	56
Sixteen round dishes in three parts ..	40
Four double butter dishes ...	6
Forty-five cornered butter dishes ..	33	15
One round shaped oblong bottle ..	6
Five "beguine" pots ...	30
Nine "beguine" pots (small) ..	22	10
Three drinking cups ...	4	10
Four drinking cups (small) ..	2	8
Three beakers ....	3	15
Three bottles ....	4
Three large bottles ...	18
Five mustard pots ...	3	15
Four wine cans ...	. 16
Four chamber-pots ...	10
Twenty-four parrot basins ..	24
Forty-four cups and saucers ..	15	4
Two cups and saucers ...	2
Four oil pots ...	2	8
Ten snuff boxes ...	10	10
Seventy-five mustard pots ..	. 29
Twenty-five deep saucers ...	16
Three boxes with lids ...	3
Four deep saucers ...	. 2	8
Five red pots ....	0	15

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The Importance Of Porcelain. Part 8

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The Importance Of Porcelain. Part 8

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