A rare Dutch silver pointed dish, puntschotel

Dutch puntschotels are very rare items in Dutch silver. Only twelve of these dishes are known, of which the present example is the only one known to be made in Groningen. These dishes were already prized in the 17th Century and are sometimes depicted on 17th century Dutch still-life pictures. Abraham van Beyeren and Jan Davidsz. de Heem sometimes included them in their still-life pictures. Other Dutch examples are illustrated in: J.W. Frederiks, Dutch silver, Part III, nos. 14 and 44; J.W. Frederiks, Dutch silver, Part II, nos. 103, 104, 198 and 199; B.R.M. de Neeve, Een vroeg 17e eeuwse puntschotel, Bulletin Museum Boymans van Beuningen, 10 (1959), pp. 29-38.
The literature is not clear about the use of these dishes, however, likely is that they may have been used for special occasions such as weddings. The accollée coat-of-arms engraved on the present dish may indicate that the dish may have been used in a wedding ceremony or as a wedding gift. A similar dish, made in Middelburg, was sold at Christie's Amsterdam on 25 November 1997, lot 476.