Bokaal met deksel met de wapens van Diderik Dicx en het opschrift HOOGH BAILLIUW VAN KENNEMERLAND 1708

This covered goblet, of unknown date, is made of glass, likely produced by an anonymous maker. The goblet’s clear glass reveals its substantial form, its weight felt in the hand. The glass has been wheel-engraved, a process requiring immense skill and time, using rotating wheels to cut intricate designs into the surface. Here, we see detailed heraldry and lettering, identifying Diderik Dicx, a high bailiff. This tells us that the glass was made for a person of importance. Glassblowing and engraving were highly specialized trades, often involving workshop production. While the patron would have enjoyed the goblet’s beauty and symbolic value, the object also embodies the labor and expertise of the artisans who brought it into being. Considering this, the goblet transcends its function as a mere drinking vessel, becoming a testament to the social and economic structures of its time, as well as an example of extraordinary skill.