Dutch Silver Bird Cage Miniature for a Doll’s House, Schoonhoven, 1970s

Beautiful Dutch silver miniature with moving parts, a suspended bird cage enclosing bird on tripod pedestal stand.

-3 ½ in. ( 8.9 cm) high; 5/8 in. (1.6 cm) cage diam.

Stamped with London import marks date letter cursive small t for 1974, and Dutch sponsor’s mark ML; 20 grams

The town of Schoonhoven in Southern Holland where this miniature was made is almost 700 years old. After the lords of the castle commissioned the first silversmiths in the 14th century, the city developed into a unique center of silver craft, industry and art. Schoonhoven’s national silver museum has one of the world’s largest collections of Dutch silver and operates the only silver training course in the country.