It’s a Family ArtFair: Meet Jacob J. Roosjen SRI® and his family

It’s remarkably cold outside as I enter the Waldorf Astoria in Amsterdam to meet Jacob J. Roosjen SRI® and his family on a Monday evening.

The much acclaimed and internationally renowned silver specialist and registered valuer Jacob J. Roosjen started at Sotheby’s Amsterdam in the late 1980’s. Throughout the two decades he worked there, Jacob dedicated himself to building the single-most significant archive in silver research in his spare time. When in 1998 he was able to merge his archive with that of K.A. Citroen this gave rise to the Silver Research Institute (SRI®), which Jacob founded in 2009. 

_{Jacob Roosjen and his son Hugo}

We’re sitting in the Vault Bar around a round table. Jacob and I are joined by his wife Annelize and his sons Ewoud and Hugo. It’s clear you don’t get to sit down with Jacob, you sit down with the family. And the warmth and enthusiasm with which they run the business is an immediate indicator of why the business is considered such high quality.

In 2009, amidst a big restructuring at Sotheby’s, Jacob was made an offer. Having spent 20 years at the auction house he was able to continue his own business, which he had started in 1981, before joining Sotheby’s. But not without the explicit support of his family.

His sons, 17 and 21 at the time, would have to help their father and so did his wife. With combined forces the family decided to pursue a career as entrepreneurs in silver, backed by a wealth of knowledge and an up-to-date library enabling Jacob to thoroughly advise private collectors, museums, auction houses, curators, and clients in general. In his annual publication ‘Zilver Zaken’ Jacob shares his knowledge in extensive descriptions, often co-written by Annelize.

Both sons clearly inherited their parents’ love for fine art and antiques. Jacob’s eldest son Ewoud followed in his father’s footsteps by working as a work-student for Sotheby’s and is engaged in well-known societies such as the Caius Cirkel and Van Loon 100.

Jacob’s second son, Hugo, was intrigued from an even younger age. As an adolescent Hugo won a course in arts and for months his mother drove Hugo to the course in Diemen, where he was the youngest by far. The different styles, periods and categories run through his veins, which is apparent the moment we walk out of the bar and Hugo starts naming the different styles that make up both the interior and exterior of the hotel.

When a befriended art dealer invited Jacob to come with him to Miami and he couldn’t make it, it didn’t take long for Ewoud and Hugo to decide they would go. New to the world of arts and antiques, but trained by the expert who is their father, they embarked on their first of many journeys hunting for unique and high-quality silver objects with a story attached to them.

The present collection primarily consists of 17th and 18th century Dutch silver. Aware that people don’t always want to read the extensive history attached to his objects, Jacob started using QR codes.

During this year’s PAN Amsterdam we encourage you to visit the stand and test these codes for yourself. You might have to read the legends at a later stage, as Jacob’s stand at PAN is a sure guarantee for a both educational and personal experience.

For more information about Jacob J. Roosjen and the fine collection please have a look here.

For more curated antique, art and jewels also have a look at Gallerease!