Live Auction 1147European Noble & Private Collections Including Fine Tapestries
AN EMERALD-GREEN-TINTED SIGNED AND DATED DIAMOND-POINT-ENGRAVED CALLIGRAPHIC SERVING-BOTTLE BY WILLEM VAN HEEMSKERK
Lot 338 Property from the Estate of Eric Martin Wunsch (lots 333-357)

AN EMERALD-GREEN-TINTED SIGNED AND DATED DIAMOND-POINT-ENGRAVED CALLIGRAPHIC SERVING-BOTTLE BY WILLEM VAN HEEMSKERK

1675, THE NETHERLANDS, INSCRIBED AND DATED TO THE BASE

Closed2 October 2013

Price Realised

GBP 62,500

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AN EMERALD-GREEN-TINTED SIGNED AND DATED DIAMOND-POINT-ENGRAVED CALLIGRAPHIC SERVING-BOTTLE BY WILLEM VAN HEEMSKERK
1675, THE NETHERLANDS, INSCRIBED AND DATED TO THE BASE
With tall slender neck and applied string rim, the globular body engraved in calligraphic script Ubique medium servato (moderation in everything) amongst flourishes and scrolls, the kick-in base diamond point engraved Dien Mensch gelukkigh is van state, Welk in elk ding houd middle-maet (the person who is moderate in everything has a happy conscience) and W.V.H./1675, slight scratching to footrim
9 7/8 in. (25 cm.) high

J. Kneppelhout, Leiden.
Private Collection, The Hague.
With Ginsburg & Levy, Inc., New York.

Specialist note

Willem Jacobszoon van Heemskerk was one of most prolific Dutch engravers of the 17th century (1613-1692). He was born in Leiden to Jacob Willeszoon van Heemskerk, a carpenter, and his wife Trijntje Jansdichter Verbeeck. Willem became a cloth merchant who was elected Dean of the Cloth Shearer's Guild in 1645 and President in 1668 and 1669. In September 1636 he married Maria Isaacsdochter van Swanenburg and they had fifteen children. He wrote poetry and plays and it seems likely that he was inspired to take up engraving calligraphy on glass by the embroiderer, poet and engraver Anna Roemers Visscher during her visit to Leiden between 1646-1650.

For a similar calligraphic bottle by van Heemskerk dated 1683, see Pieter C. Ritsema van Eck, Glass in the Rijksmuseum, Vol. II, Amsterdam, 1995, p. 103, no. 84.