Antique Silver Marriage Casket

This is a wonderful example of a classical Dutch Marriage Casket.

Unusually, this is not imported but hallmarked for London 1900 with the maker's mark of Harold Child. There are corresponding hallmarks on the lid also.

The casket features a typical domed lid and is beautifully decorated with a vase of flowers on both front and back, with a bird and kangaroo (or maybe a long-eared squirrel?!) on the ends. It sits well on 4 small square pads and the silver is in an excellent condition.

In the 16th century, courting rites in the Dutch province of Friesland stated that if a boy were to really like a girl, and maybe even want to marry her, he would first have to present her with a coin. The girl could either accept or reject this coin; acceptance would signify that the couple were formally engaged. Unfortunately for the men of Friesland some 16th century maidens insisted on playing hard to get. This is where the idea of the ‘knottekistje’ begins to come into effect. The man in question could offer more coins to tempt the lady into marriage, which would be wrapped in a cloth loosely tied with a special knot known as the ‘knottedoek’. If this offer was up to the girl’s standards, she would draw the knot tighter to indicate a positive response. This meant that she had accepted the offer and was now considered officially betrothed. Increasing prosperity led to the humble cloth being replaced by a textile cloth, which was in turn replaced by a silver casket– the knottekistje (or wedding casket). These caskets also served to act as a symbol of betrothal, albeit in a slightly more stylish way. The engraving demonstrated on the caskets is incredibly delicate and often depicts symbolic scenes about love and marriage, or perhaps a proverb or adage. Interestingly, Folkloric Frisian tradition states that that the ‘knottekistje’ would remain the property of the wife throughout the marriage.

Dimensions:

Width: 7.5cm

Depth: 4cm

Height: 5.5cm not including the handle

Silver Weight: 85g.

Complimentary gift wrapping is available on request.

Post and packaging are free within the UK. Overseas buyers please e-mail for postage costs and please note: Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are the buyer's responsibility. Please check with your country's customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to buying.