femke@aronson.com

Against the predominantly blue palette of a maritime scene on Delftware, a small passage of color can have a remarkable effect. While ships and their surroundings were generally rendered in cobalt blue on seventeenth- and eighteenth-century tiles, plates, and plaques, a small number of surviving examples feature flags picked out in color. What prompted Delft…

A small paper label preserved inside a Delft faience bust provides the starting point for the story of its former owner, the Danish collector Ole Olsen (1863–1943) (main Image). Dating from the early twentieth century, the label depicts an intriguing figure: a gentleman carefully examining an object through a magnifying glass. A collectors label always…

Main Image: Barber Bowl, Delft, circa 1700, Aronson Antiquairs (inv. no. 25093) Genesis 41:14 recounts how Joseph, summoned from prison to appear before the Pharaoh, first shaved and changed into clean garments before entering the royal court. Although brief, the passage illustrates that shaving has long been associated with cleanliness, respectability, and social identity. Throughout…

"Time and tide wait for no man," an old English proverb reminds us. While the passage of time and the forces of nature remain beyond human control, mankind has long sought ways to measure and understand its relentless progression. From the great public clocks that governed civic life to the increasingly sophisticated timepieces of the…

Main Image: Drawing, Anonymous, Interior of a Coffee House in London, Britain, circa 1690, Collection of the British Museum (inv. no 162021001) Coffee: few commodities are as widespread or as deeply woven into daily life. For many people, the day begins with a cup of coffee, accompanied by the vessels and utensils designed for its…

Oil and vinegar sets, commonly referred to as cruet sets, are among the more telling additions to the early modern dining table. Their emergence marks a shift toward more structured dining, in which individual elements assumed a defined role in both presentation and use. In the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries, dining in Europe became…

William of Orange-Nassau (Dillenburg, 1533 – Delft, 1584), widely known as the Dutch “Father of the Fatherland,” served as stadholder of the provinces of Holland, Zeeland, and Utrecht, and played a central role in organizing resistance against Spanish rule during the Eighty Years’ War (1568–1648). His close association with Delft, where he established his residence…

In this months article, we are focussing on the Van Gelder Collection. This exceptional ensemble, comprising more than 350 objects, is widely regarded as the largest and most comprehensive private collection of apothecary ceramics in existence. It was assembled with exceptional care and discernment by the apothecary J.B. (Joop) van Gelder. While his primary focus…