Image credit: Courtesy Leiden American Pilgrims Museum - Leiden, The Netherlands, public domain
Hi-Res image: Leiden American Pilgrims Museum
In the 17th century, Dutch households in the Netherlands and New Netherlands alike often provided young girls with miniature kitchenware—tiny pots, pans, plates, and utensils crafted in earthenware, pewter, or brass. These objects were not only toys but also tools for instruction, allowing children to imitate the tasks of the household and practice the skills expected of them as future wives and mothers.
A rare surviving sample of such kitchen play-ware is this set of pancake pans, one for the adult the other for the child, to learn how to turn and heat the batter to create an all-important Dutch food item: the pannekoek, which could be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
Teaching how to manage domestic duties in a playful setting reflects the Dutch emphasis on orderly homes and the education of daughters in good housekeeping.
Reference:
Location: Leiden American Pilgrims Museum - Leiden, The Netherlands
Date: ca 1620-30
Medium: glazed earthenware