A richly engraved beaker

A richly engraved beaker

The tapering silver beaker is raised on a flat even foot with a rope-twist rim and is decorated overall with a detailed engraving. A double band interspersed by three grotesques between scrolls is engraved below the rim, surmounting three oval medallions, of which two are vacant coat-of-arms with crest, while the third medallion is engraved with the coat-of-arms of Botnia, a harnessed arm with sword surmounted by the crest. The medallions are surrounded by scrolls, branches and flowers. Three pendant leafy branches are depicted between the three medallions. The Botnia coat-of-arms engraved in one of the medallions is connected to Gajus van Botnia (1626-1678), later called Botnia van Broersma, an important citizen of Kollum. In 1638, at the age of twelve, his affluent cousin Gadie Hessels van Broersma made him his universal heir. Gajus van Botnia married Jetscke van Rosema, from the country house in Kollum that bears the same name. Her father was dike warden and receiver-general of the municipality Kollummerland and attorney of the county’s gatherings. This last position was handed over to his son-in-law Gajus, who carried out this function between 1656 and 1673. He lived with his wife at the Rosema estate in Kollum, that she had inherited from her parents. He is buried in the church in Kollum.

An extensive hunting scene with two men hunting birds is engraved above the footrim. The figure on the right wears the rich costume of a falconer. A second horseman is hunting deer with a pack of dogs in tow, one dog is biting a deer in its tail. On the background are a church, smaller buildings, a tower and trees. The base is engraved with the letters B : E and No. 1. These hunting scenes are based on the print ‘The Hunt’ by the French draughtsman and engraver Jacques Callot (1592-Nancy-1653) who worked at the court of the Medici in Florence. During the last ten years of his life he lived in France and travelled to the Netherlands, where Rembrandt was an admirer and large collector of his work. Jacob Sakes was active from 1642 until before 1662. He was the son of the silversmith Sake Paulus and his wife Anschen Eesgens, also from Kollum. Jacob’s brother Paulus was a silversmith in Dokkum. He was married to Tieltje Brongersma. In 1652 he was indebted to the Leeuwarden silversmith Willem Olthof for silverwork. In that same year, he often borrowed money using silverwork and gold as a deposit. This may be the reason why he was placed under guardianship of his uncle Jacob Paulus, silversmith in Balk, after the death of his father.