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…
Every month we present a special object from the Aronson Antiquairs’ collection. This month we would like to show you this blue and white oval barber’s bowl. It was made around 1760 at De Porceleyne Byl (The Porcelain Axe) factory in the city of Delft. Other than often assumed, the round or oval depression at the…
"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…
Each month, we highlight a special object from the Aronson Antiquairs collection. This month, we are pleased to present this rare, early pear-shaped vase, made around 1680 at the renowned De Grieksche A (The Greek A) factory in Delft. Although Delft potters had begun experimenting with ways to replicate Chinese porcelain as early as 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…
Each month, we highlight a special object from the Aronson Antiquairs collection. This month, we are pleased to present this blue and white cruet set. Among the most elegant expressions of Delft ceramics produced around 1700 are objects intended for the dining table. This refined cruet set, made at the celebrated De Roos (The Rose)…
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…
Each month, we highlight a special object from the Aronson Antiquairs collection. This month, we are pleased to present a pair of blue and white royal portrait trays. This exceptional pair of Delft trays presents a refined and politically charged homage to Prince William IV, Stadtholder of the United Provinces, and his consort, Princess Anne…
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…
CHINESE 阿伦森 WEBSITE