Dutch silver rectangular tobacco box with city scenes, Leendert Beekhuysen, 1762

This mid-18th century Dutch tobacco box is a rectangular silver container featuring canted corners and a hinged lid with shaped sides. The exterior is richly decorated with detailed engravings.

The lid showcases a port scene of Amsterdam, clearly labeled, while the base features a similarly labeled scene of Rotterdam. The side panels are adorned with pastoral and hunting motifs, depicting a hunter with a horn and dogs chasing hares among trees. The box possesses a gilt interior, providing a luxurious contrast to the silver exterior. Measuring 13.3 cm in length and weighing 203 grams, the piece displays hallmarks on the base, including a town mark with the date letter 'C' and a partially obscured maker’s mark, identified as Leendert Beekhuysen, who was active in Amsterdam between 1731 and 1763.

An additional set of initials, 'SIM', is stamped on the edge of the side. This example of fine 18th-century silversmithing demonstrates the high quality of craftsmanship prevalent in Amsterdam during the period.