A rare pair of Dutch baroque silver saltcellars in diabolo shape made by the Haarlem silversmith Hendrik van Kempen the Second in 1727. The diabolo shape originates from China, were it was popular since the Tang period ( 618-907 AD). It was used as a prop for juggling or for circus and it did consist of an axle and two cups or discs which where hanging on a wire fixed to two wooden sticks. Marco Polo (1254-1324) brought this design to Europe and it became immensely popular during the baroque period. The shape quickly became popular for salt cellars. This pair of Haarlem saltcellars are an excellent example of baroque silver saltcellars. To understand the environment in which they were made one has to understand how unbelievable rich the northern Netherlands were in the 17th and early 18th century. In 1663 the provinces of Northern- and Southern Holland together had 756 gold- and silversmiths who where making larger pieces ( gold- and silversmiths for jewelry were registered separately). The number of gold- silversmiths in the Northern Netherlands were simply enormous. If you compare it with Paris, the biggest urban center of that period which had 400 gold- and silversmiths and London, which had 150 registered gold- and silversmiths, the numbers of gold and silversmiths in Holland were enormous. Augsburg had 125 and Antwerp 75. This famous diabolo shaped saltcellars were immensly popular on the tables of the rich and famous and many 17th and early 18th century stillives, like the famous " banketjes" ( banquets) for instance by Haarlem painter Willem Claeszn Heda (1593-1662), show these diabolo shaped saltcellars. On an anonymous late 17th century Dutch painting of a silversmiths workshop we see a wealthy lady admiring a similar pair of diabolo shaped saltcellars ( see the pictures of this pair). This pair is embellished with hammered out flower and leaf motives, amongst others tulips, the Dutch national flower, very beloved in the baroque period. The top of each salt cellars is gilt. And the whole piece stands on 3 round feet. The salt cellars are in good state of preservation, fully hallmarked and bear a monogram of a former owner. Provenance: Former collection of the celebrated Amsterdam silver and gold dealers Premsela & Hamburger, Rokin Amsterdam,