Treasures from the 2022 Arnhem fair

Hello my friends,

In my last post, about the book chest of Hugo Grotius, I told you that it was my star buy of the DHN show. The dollshouse fair in Arnhem. It was the first show since march 2020 due to Covid. But you may have guessed that it was not my only purchase.

I splashed out on this little table! It is made by Yosh Sagi who is a superb craftsman. A true collectible. Every joint is dovetailed and the parquetry veneer is faultles. Yosh told me that the carcass of the table is made of cherry wood. Pear wood, palisander and sycamore were used for the parquetry. With the pear being the lightest, and the sycamore the darkest of the three.

From Elisabeth Elsner von Gronow I bought this collection of Dresden paper. The big squares can be broken up in small triangles and used in different ways. Dresden paper is very detailed, and the fact that it is paper makes it pliable and easy around corners. I have seen them used to form or enhance frames around painings and mirrors. But also as stucco or caring on wooden panels. 

I want to use most of these for the decorative Rococo plaster trim on and around the stucco ceiling of the small salon.

This book was bought prior to the show. But I did not yet show it to you before so I decided to do so now. The book is made by Tine Krijnen in cooperation with Jens Torp who supplies the intricate lock for these. 

New for me was Miniatures by Vio. They sell laser cut sets. A lot of different designs to choose from. They have a lot of art nouveau designs and some mid century furniture too. And a large array of gothic windows to choose from.  Most stuff is too modern for my projects, but nicely designed and made.  

I chose two stools that do fit my chosen era. One for downstairs and one for upstairs. I will probably not use the wavy gold trim supplied with the kit for the 19th century footstool. I think that is a bit too big and coarse. But the design is similar to several renaissance stools I have seen and not typically 19th century in style.

Next is a painting of Maria de' Medici as a little girl. Daughter of Cosimo I, grand duke of Tuscany. The original was painted in 1553 by Agnolo Bronzino. She is not thé Maria de Medici that would become the Queen of France as wife of Henri IV. Thát Maria was born in 1573, 20 years after this portrait was painted. 

This Maria was the aunt of the  future queen of France. She was engaged to Alfonso II, Duke of Ferrara, but died at the age of seventeen, before the marriage could take place. It was usual to commission copies of portraits of members of ruling families to hang them in their several palaces or to send to allied families as gifts. Or to present children to other families as mariage candidates...

Carel Polyander, or one of his ancesters who also had undertaken a 'grand tour' to Italy, could have bought it in Ferrara. Since she never married the Ferraran duke (he got Lucrezia de Medici, a younger sister of Maria instead) this copy was of little importance to a Ferraran aritocrate to have on his wall. And that may be why this Italian portrait found its way to a large Dutch country house. But now back to the miniature. itself

This miniature version was painted by Atelier Valckenier. I love this portrait. I do not feel that the plastic frame befits this portrait. It simply does not do it justice. stylistically the frame is of a different period and too modern. I will replace this some day with a frame in the renaissance style. Luckily the existing frame can be removed easily without any danger for damaging the painting. 

And last but not least, Hugo Grotius' book chest made by Hetty Fromme. But you can (or have) read all about that in my previous post dedicated to this piece and the history attached to it. 

So my friends, that's it for now. My assembled treasures from Arnhem. From now on the Show will only be once a year. A pitty on one hand, but on the other hand that gives me double the time to save up for it!  ;-)

Huibrecht