Featured Dutch horse and sleigh

I found this little horse and sleigh on eBay, no mention of hallmarks etc but I thought I could spy marks and liked it anyway.
It was described as white metal. Turns out I was right but I could do with some help as to dating the hallmarks please.
It’s missing the reins and possibly the drivers whip, and maybe a passenger?. The shafts have been moved from the shaft hooks onto the rein guides but otherwise looks undamaged.
I’ve discovered it’s Dutch.
The sleigh hallmark has two keys and something in the middle I can’t distinguish but has 3 parallel lines.
There is a mark on the horses tail which I believe is a sword.
There may be other marks that I haven’t found yet. Google gives me around 100 year window for the date
The whole thing is c12cm long. I’ve googled and found many similar but without the curving shafts and none the same shape sleigh.
I suspect the lovely @Any Jewelry may be able to help here please?
Thankyou for looking

 

I can see why you like this. It is quite an imaginative design.

I think the mark is the Sword (images D, E, F) used with the Key (image L).
http://www.mne-aesop.com/jackman/03.htm

It does not explain the second key.

James.

 

It’s been a while, but do you think the sleigh shafts might not go in the rings down by the horse’s sides instead, and the two rings up on the horse’s back might be for ‘missing’ reins??? That would also put the ‘runners’ more ‘on the ground or snow’ where they would belong.....just my thoughts.....It’s a lovely little set!!!! (And maybe I’m all wet too on where the shafts go!!!!)

 

Ive just done some digging and found something that said the first key is export and ‘more unusually’ a second key for re-import’. Don’t know if that’s correct.

You are correct Aqui I think. I’ve got plenty of sterling chain so I can replace the reins. The shafts are probably more secure where they are though. Most of the ones on the internet have squared shafts though.

I thought so too!. I collect the Britain’s etc lead model horses and carts so that’s how I justify that I needed it!

 

It is gorgeous, K, and a classic Dutch silver miniature. Originally silver miniatures were made for those amazing Dutch doll's houses, but they expanded the range of subjects to include pieces like this.

Of course you were.

The key thing is complicated. The easy part is that it was used between 1853 and 1953.
This is the complicated part:
It is not an export mark as such, but it is meant to mark a piece that was elligible for a tax return when exported. This is just for the first key, the one which is not attached to the assay mark (sword in this case).
When it was decided a piece with the first key mark was not to be exported after all, but was to remain in the Netherlands, it was marked with the second key, which is attached to the assay mark. This could be done only if tax hadn't been returned yet.

So your gorgeous horse and sleigh was going to be exported, and then wasn't. No tax was ever returned (bummer).
It still ended up in the UK.

In case someone else comes across this info, this is not applicable here:
There are other cases in which the second key can be marked, or even be marked without there ever having been a first key. For instance, on silver brought back into the Netherlands by families returning from Dutch East India.

 

@Aquitaine , you're right about the shafts, they should go on the lower rings/hooks.

Chains would look out of place. If you want the original look you need silver wire, like this one:



The wire on this one is twisted, but I have also seen silver sleighs with straight wire.

 

See how easy it is to be 100 years out .
Thankyou for all that wonderful information!

I may not always advertise my ‘I thought it was something but it wasn’t’ purchases

That twisted wire is about the only thing I haven’t got in my stash but I can easily get some.

Yay!. Seller said it was Chinese. The hallmark was full of old silver polish and they either didn’t see it or didn’t recognise it for what it was. Easily done as I’ve missed hallmarks that INH has pointed out are right in front of my eyes

 

My ox-cart has no reins at all, but I suspect the driver has been drinking from the barrel on the cart:

 

Sure, the costume is very Chinese, as is the sleigh.

 

They are very nice. Opens up another avenue of collecting!.
Probably hoping the oxen would take him home. Horses are quite good at finding their way home. Usually when they have spooked at a sweet paper and dumped you on your backside miles from home .
Were there multiple makers of these silver miniatures or are any recognisable to specific makers?

 

Misinformation equals cheap purchase

 

The sword mark is the one for 1815-1905, so you have an antique. They are very collectable.

There were many makers, Dutch people have loved silver miniatures for centuries.
There could be a tiny maker's mark somewhere, maybe on the side of the horse's girth:



Or on its bum:

 

You can take a look on this Dutch site:
https://www.marktplaats.nl/l/antiek...er+miniatuur|searchInTitleAndDescription:true

Unfortunately Dutch people know the value, so you probably have more luck with unwitting Brits.

 

Kind choice of word. Much appreciated

 

I will investigate as there does look to be an indentation there.