IMAGE DETAILS

d'Arschot & Cie

Molenbeker
Engraved silver
Maker’s mark: IM in a shield
Flanders, circa 1610-1620
H 22 cm

These curious mill cups were very fashionable in Flanders in the early 17th century. They were also produced by German silversmiths. The tall, flared goblet is topped by a windmill with a ladder climbed by two millers to give the whole a more realistic look. At the bottom, a tube, also known as a blowpipe, is used to set in motion the four wings of the windmill and a small needle turning around a numbered circular dial. The ingenious mechanism consists of toothed wheels that are cleverly concealed inside the mill itself.

At a time when banquets were particularly long, these table games were designed to entertain guests. Each guest took it in turns to blow into the blowpipe and the needle, once stopped, told them how many glasses they had left to drink.

Many Kunstkammer included an object of this type, and this type of windmills can be found in many still-life paintings from this period.

Fragile by nature, few of these goblets have survived. Remarkably, this example is in perfect working order.

An engraved silver goblet by the same master silversmith is in the Tienen municipal museum. It is reproduced in: Zilver uit de gouden eeuw van Antwerpen, Rockoxhuis, 1988, n° 105