Dutch and Flemish Furniture

by Esther Singleton

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
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 coffee 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, open-work 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 jardinière	20
One Chinese pot	30
China Closet near the Windows.
Five East India half-size wash basins	70
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	30
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
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 stuivers 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—