Zilveren bierkan op de Tentoonstelling van oudheden in Delft before 1863

A.L. Oversluijs made this photograph of a silver beer tankard at the Exhibition of antiquities in Delft. This image speaks to the nineteenth-century obsession with history, especially the material culture of the past. Photographs like these were not merely records, they actively participated in constructing a narrative of national identity. The silver beer tankard, with its ornate decorations, speaks to a time of craftsmanship and affluence. Delft, known for its pottery, became a site for celebrating Dutch heritage. Exhibitions like these served a vital purpose in shaping public memory and cultural values. Historians can use photographs, exhibition catalogs, and period newspapers to get a better understanding of the social importance of objects like this beer tankard. These objects, removed from their original context and placed in museums, serve as cultural symbols that are subject to interpretation.