Dutch Delftware Tobacco Jar with Brass Cover

A fine early 18th-century Delftware tobacco jar of baluster form, decorated in cobalt blue with a central cartouche inscribed “No 6. R. HOLLANDE G.” flanked by figures of Native Americans in feathered headdresses, each holding smoking pipes. The decoration alludes to the New World origins of tobacco, a common motif in Delftware tobacco jars of this period. Above, stylised floral sprays and tobacco leaves complete the design.
The inscription identifies the type of tobacco blend—Hollande referring to Holland-cut tobacco—and the number “6” marking the jar as part of a larger merchant’s set, each jar being used to store and display specific blends within a shop or apothecary. The boldly stepped brass cover is original in form and typical of Dutch tobacconist’s wares around 1700–1720.