A Still Life of a Crab on a Pewter Plate, a Salt Cellar, a Roemer, a Knife, a Lemon and two Oysters on a Pewter Plate, all resting on a draped Table

PROVENANCE:
Otto Ekenberg, inherited from his father who purchased the painting in 1918;
By whom sold, London, Sotheby's, March 24, 1971, lot 7;
Ex collection Alan Ackerman

NOTE:
Fred Meijer has proposed a date of circa 1645 for this painting. At the time of the sale in 1971 this paining was sold with a pendant (sold separately as Lot 6) and which N.R.A.Vroom states as being monogrammed and dated 1645. (See 'A Modest Message', 1980, vol 2, p. 31, no. 124, illus) The elements used within the still life by Claesz, for example the overturned crab and the salt cellar, are consistent with pictures dated around 1644/5. See for example, 'Pieter Claesz', Martina Brunner-Bulst, Lingen 2004, no. 128, p. 279.