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Silver commemorative spoon, P.A. van der Beek, Workum, 1877

Silver commemorative spoon, P.A. van der Beek, Workum, 1877

Regular price €295,00 EUR
Regular price Sale price €295,00 EUR
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This large, second-grade silver presentation spoon from the year 1877 is an absolute must for collectors of historical silver and water board history.
The spoon was crafted by the renowned Frisian master silversmith Petrus Adrianus van der Beek. This piece stands out due to its length of 22 centimeters and bears an extremely rare, hand-engraved inscription commemorating a historic Frisian polder gift.

The spoon makes an immediate impression with its substantial size and solid weight of 49.5 grams. The handle is crowned by a beautifully cast, three-dimensional Dutch polder windmill (tower mill) with detailed diamond-shaped sails.
The handle itself is an aesthetic highlight: a wide, tapered silver stem beautifully decorated on the front with hand-engraved floral and leaf motifs, framed by a refined cable border. The original owner's name is inscribed on the back of the handle in graceful dotted script: "J. J. Wenselaar".

The greatest rarity is found around the exterior of the sleek, deep egg-shaped bowl. Here, an extensive historical account is engraved in razor-sharp, monumental cursive script:
  • "Gift as committee member's spoon of the Welsrijp polder, 1877"
Welsrijp (Wjelsryp) is a historic terp village in the Frisian municipality of Waadhoeke. In 1877, this spoon was officially gifted on behalf of the polder board to Mr. J.J. Wenselaar in gratitude for his services as a 'gecommitteerde' (administrator or committee member). Because P.A. van der Beek was a highly respected silversmith in Franeker and Workum at the time, he was the designated master for this honorable local commission. Silver gifts with such specific water board or polder history are extremely scarce.
Because Jan Joukes Wenselaar belonged to the affluent citizenry of the village, he was elected or appointed as a committee member (board member) of the Welsrijp polder.

In those days, the polder board was crucial: they supervised water levels, polder mills, and the dikes that protected the farmlands from flooding.

When he stepped down in 1877 after a period of loyal service or celebrated an anniversary, he received this specially crafted silver spoon from the polder board as an official tribute (hence the text: "Gift as committee member's spoon...").

The back of the handle and the sail display a crisp and complete set of 19th-century Dutch hallmarks:
  • Silversmith: The official maker's mark 'V an D B above a compass' of Petrus Adrianus van der Beek (active in Workum and Franeker between 1854 and 1880, later The Hague).
  • Dutch Lion (2): The purity stamp in a hexagon for second-grade silver (.833).
  • Minerva head: The official assay office stamp of the Dutch guarantee.
  • Year letter 's': The razor-sharp struck year stamp that specifically stands for the production year 1877.
  • Extra mark: The star struck directly above or beside the year letter 's' in the hallmark served as an additional verification and authenticity mark from the Dutch Guarantee Office.
Specifications:
  • Silversmith: Petrus Adrianus van der Beek (Workum / Franeker)
  • Place of origin: Friesland
  • Dating: 1877 (Year letter s & Inscription)
  • Hallmarks: Maker's mark (Compass mark), Lion 2 (.833), Minerva head, and year letter s (1877).
  • Decoration: Three-dimensional polder mill, hand-engraved handle, unique polder inscription around the bowl.
  • Length: 220 mm (very large and imposing piece)
  • Weight: 49.5 grams
  • Condition: In beautiful, display-worthy condition. All fine details of the mill, the engraving, and the extensive inscription are preserved with pristine clarity.
A unique opportunity for collectors of historical Frisian silver, polder history, and museum-quality presentation spoons!
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Silver commemorative spoon, P.A. van der Beek, Workum, 1877
Silver commemorative spoon, P.A. van der Beek, Workum, 1877
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