Parasolknop van goud, versierd met waterlelies, lisdodden en libelle c. 1900 - 1906

This golden parasol knob, made by Firma van den Eersten & Hofmeijer, shimmers with life. Look at the waterlilies, lisdodden, and that dragonfly frozen in mid-flight. It feels like a piece of captured sunlight, doesn't it? I can imagine the artist, hunched over their workbench, patiently coaxing these forms from the metal. Maybe they paused now and then, gazing out the window for inspiration. Those delicate curves and textures! It’s a real conversation between the hand and the eye. The way the light catches on the surface – is it heavy, or light? And the pearl on top, like the sun glinting on the surface of a pond! It reminds me of some art nouveau jewelry and metalwork, that same love of nature and intricate detail. It’s like they’re all whispering secrets to each other across time, inspiring new ways of seeing and making.