Silver miniature soap dish, Haarlem, ca. 1705

Silver miniature soap dish made by an unknown Haarlem silversmith around 1700.

The soap dish is hallmarked with an ear of corn from a master who worked around 1700 in Haarlem, and who made toys and dolls. According to KA Citroen, Haarlem silversmiths and their marks (1988), no. 114, p. 45. Citroen dates his working period "ca.
1705".

In the book by Arno J. Bruitsman: Het Haarlemse zilversmidsgilde en de Zaanstreek (1500-1800), (2025), we find him under no. 352, p. 83, with a provisional name: "Master with the Ear of Corn", ca. 1720. He says: specialized in dollware; most of his work has the Haarlem hallmark, but no date letter - which was customary at the time for the small hallmark; and then he writes: "We often encounter a crowned letter with this master that does not correspond to the official date letter".

The soap dish is therefore hallmarked with a crowned P, which was likely used for his own records. It is also hallmarked with the maker's mark "korenaar" (ear of corn) and the city hallmark of Amsterdam. The dish ended up in Amsterdam and was subsequently hallmarked or re-hallmarked with the city hallmark there, despite the miniature having been made in Haarlem.

Silver by this master is rare and rarely offered.

The container is in excellent condition.

Weight: 7.2 grams. Dimensions: 2.3 x 3 cm.