1102 - Silver miniature royal coach, 835 silver, Schoonhoven 1972, six-horse team, coachman and footman

Silver miniature royal coach, 835 silver, Schoonhoven 1972, six-horse team, coachman and footman 835 silver, miniature of a royal coach with six horses, Netherlands, Schoonhoven, 1972, hallmarked under the door: striding lion for 835 silver, Minerva head with "M" for the Waarborgamt Schoonhoven, date letter for 1972 and an indistinct mark. Closed coach body with three window openings on each side, doors with crown relief, serrated roof edge and crown on the roof, coachman with hat and reins on the box, footman with top hat standing at the rear, four spoked wheels, pole with three pairs of horses, reins of twisted wire. Good condition. 13.5x2x4 cm (LxWxH), weight 74 g. 360-degree photo available on our website. Silver miniatures such as this coach were not children's toys but display pieces for adults, and children were only allowed to look at the interiors of dolls' houses under supervision and without touching. Silver toys made specifically for children were considerably larger, at about one third of the original size, and are rare today because most pieces were melted down after use. Craftsmen liked to reproduce the objects of their own trade in miniature; glassblowers made tiny glasses as faithful copies of the originals, cabinetmakers dolls' house furniture, silversmiths household goods and vehicles in miniature silver. Schoonhoven on the Lek is regarded as the Dutch silver town: goldsmiths and silversmiths have worked there since the 17th century, the town houses the Nederlands Zilvermuseum and a silversmithing school, and the local Waarborgamt marks its assay with the letter "M" in the helmet of the Minerva head.