Lot 1661 ♣ - S20 An important private collection of antique cutlery - Thursday, 21. March 2024, 10.00 AM
MUSEUM KNIFE WITH IVORY MICROCARVING AND FOLDING HANDLE
The Netherlands, Amsterdam, dated 1604 on the Griffkappe, with a monogram by the maître on the inside.
Rectangular, elaborately carved ivory handle with a Christian pictorial program. The broad sides are carved in high relief with depictions of the Fall of Man and a crucifixion scene. The sacrifice of Isaac, the expulsion from paradise, Abraham praying (?) and the creation of Eve, as well as the sacrifice of Cain and Abel and Cain's fratricide and expulsion are depicted in flat relief fields above and below the depictions. Allegories of life and death are depicted on the narrow sides. The panels can be folded down to reveal almost fully sculpted figures of the infant Jesus and a skeleton. Rectangular, two-part silver handle cap crowned by a turtle. Inscribed with a surrounding banner: HOVT. G. HEVA / OTS. COMMANDMENT IEHOVA / VOER ADAM / GEN ABRAHAM. The turtle on a locking system opening onto a smelling jar. Dated and inscribed inside: 1604 NIET SONDER MOE TEN and master's monogram. Rectangular collar. Blade root inlaid with gilt tendril fillets. Blade with center tip with smith's mark in the shape of a fish.
L 21 cm.
For the exportation of this item a CITES license is required. Prospective buyers should familiarize themselves with relevant customs regulations prior to bidding if they intend to import this lot into another country. For further information please contact the department.
Large crack in the ivory on the pictorial program with Adam and Eve. Crack on the pictorial program of Abraham. Loose fold-out plaque on the side of the skeleton. Side of the infant Jesus is stuck. Opening system at the top is stuck. Small crack at the top of the ivory. Inside inscription plaque loose. Losses to gold fillets and rubbed. Blade oxidized and corroded. Blade worn.
For a handle with an equally rich, finely carved and biblical pictorial program: see Klaus Marquardt. Europäisches Essbesteck aus acht Jahrhunderten. Stuttgart, 1997. p. 62/63, fig. 167. The knife described in the Marquardt collection is characterized by a large number of matching elements: The hinged ivory elements, the structuring of the pictorial program, the Dutch inscription 'Niet sonder Moete(n)', which translates into English as 'nothing without effort', the occurrence of the same house mark of a maître probably from Amsterdam on the inside of the lid, the dating to the year 1605 (1604 in the item on offer) as well as the hinged pommel plate with turtle attachment. The knife from the Marquardt Collection comes from the famous Richard Zschille art collection (see Arthur Pabst. Die Kunstsammlungen Richard Zschille in Grossenhain, Besteck-Sammlung. Berlin, 1893. pl. 23, fig. 147). Another similar example with biblical iconography and ivory carving with fold-out elements can be found in the Museum Rotterdam (inv. no. 48237) and in the collection of the Klingenmuseum Solingen (inv. no. 2006.M.167).
The item on offer comes with a trade license for the EU. Due to the use of protected materials, this object may not leave the EU.
For a handle with an equally rich, finely carved and biblical pictorial program: see Klaus Marquardt. Europäisches Essbesteck aus acht Jahrhunderten. Stuttgart, 1997. p. 62/63, fig. 167. The knife described in the Marquardt collection is characterized by a large number of matching elements: The hinged ivory elements, the structuring of the pictorial program, the Dutch inscription 'Niet sonder Moete(n)', which translates into English as 'nothing without effort', the occurrence of the same house mark of a maître probably from Amsterdam on the inside of the lid, the dating to the year 1605 (1604 in the item on offer) as well as the hinged pommel plate with turtle attachment. The knife from the Marquardt Collection comes from the famous Richard Zschille art collection (see Arthur Pabst. Die Kunstsammlungen Richard Zschille in Grossenhain, Besteck-Sammlung. Berlin, 1893. pl. 23, fig. 147). Another similar example with biblical iconography and ivory carving with fold-out elements can be found in the Museum Rotterdam (inv. no. 48237) and in the collection of the Klingenmuseum Solingen (inv. no. 2006.M.167).
The item on offer comes with a trade license for the EU. Due to the use of protected materials, this object may not leave the EU.
Large crack in the ivory on the pictorial program with Adam and Eve. Crack on the pictorial program of Abraham. Loose fold-out plaque on the side of the skeleton. Side of the infant Jesus is stuck. Opening system at the top is stuck. Small crack at the top of the ivory. Inside inscription plaque loose. Losses to gold fillets and rubbed. Blade oxidized and corroded. Blade worn.For a handle with an equally rich, finely carved and biblical pictorial program: see Klaus Marquardt. Europäisches Essbesteck aus acht Jahrhunderten. Stuttgart, 1997. p. 62/63, fig. 167. The knife described in the Marquardt collection is characterized by a large number of matching elements: The hinged ivory elements, the structuring of the pictorial program, the Dutch inscription 'Niet sonder Moete(n)', which translates into English as 'nothing without effort', the occurrence of the same house mark of a maître probably from Amsterdam on the inside of the lid, the dating to the year 1605 (1604 in the item on offer) as well as the hinged pommel plate with turtle attachment. The knife from the Marquardt Collection comes from the famous Richard Zschille art collection (see Arthur Pabst. Die Kunstsammlungen Richard Zschille in Grossenhain, Besteck-Sammlung. Berlin, 1893. pl. 23, fig. 147). Another similar example with biblical iconography and ivory carving with fold-out elements can be found in the Museum Rotterdam (inv. no. 48237) and in the collection of the Klingenmuseum Solingen (inv. no. 2006.M.167).The item on offer comes with a trade license for the EU. Due to the use of protected materials, this object may not leave the EU.
CHF 15 000 / 25 000 | (€ 15 460 / 25 770)
Sold for CHF 33 750 (including buyer’s premium)
All information is subject to change.