Baltic silver

[oel]

At the request of a few members, a headline topic dedicated to Baltic Silver

by Hephaistos » Sat Mar 25, 2023 5:24 pm
@ Silverstone & Co
Your story of Bergenian bowmen has triggered me to expand on the subject, and occasionally, there is an absolute unique silver treasure to illuminate my story (maybe this comprehensive essay rather would fit under the 925/1000 Silver stories). The shooting contests and its expressions in silver memorabilia are reminiscences of cross-border fertilization by a specific social category, migrating German tradesmen consolidating the trade monopoly Hansa League, based in Lübeck, from medieval times and onward. The Hanseatic cities ranged from Bergen, Norway and London in West to Novgorod in East and to Brügge in South. German traders and ship-owners colonized, started guilds and even ruled the port cities as a social elite.
The parrot shooting contest tradition, with bow and arrow, known in Continental Northern Europe generally was executed as sniping a wooden and painted parrot (popinjay) put at the top of a high pole. Hitting it gave points, shooing it down an undisputable victory.
In Tallinn, Estonia, the German traders and merchantmen, mostly young and unmarried founded, parallel to other German guilds, a spectacular guild, The Brotherhood of Blackheads (Schwartshäupter) and they chose, by any reason, the Egyptian black martyr St Maurice as their patron, as seen in the coat of arms.


The Blackheads organized, except parties for the guilds amusement, a self-defense force, a voluntary fire brigade and mutual support, parrot shooting contests within the Brotherhood and other guilds, the Great Guild, the St Canute Guild, guild of artisans and craftsmen, all maintaining this masculine sport. The Blackhead members becoming wealthy built an impressive house in Tallinn, only surpassed by that of the Blackheads in Riga, an assembled an imposing silver assembly. The Blackheads in Tallinn survived to 1940 up to the Soviet occupation of Estonia. The silver treasure was hidden abroad and is now returned and exhibited.


The shooting competition was originally executed by ordinary longbow and arrow but was later adopted to crossbow and was exercised springtime from Easter to Whitsuntide, by safety reasons outside the city wall. The sport event and the following celebrations occurred on Sundays and became so popular that the church services for three Sundays after Easter was cancelled, lacking of visitors.
The winner of the parrot shooting, the Bowking, was the temporally awarded the triumph ensign to be carried in a silver chain in the final parade of inhabitants and musicians, after which a big party begun. In Estonia this habit was known since the 14th century, and remained to the middle of the 17th century.

Popinjay, parrot, papageno, silver, origin probably Tallinn, 16 century, first half. Movable wings and partially guilt, eyes of red garnet. The only remaining Bowking price in Estonia, belonging to the Brotherhood of Blackheads. Exhibited in Niguliste Museum, Silver Chamber.

by Silverstone » Sat Mar 25, 2023 10:31 pm
Dear Hephaistos,

thank you for your detailed informations about the silver treasure of the Blackheads.
I am sure that many members of this Silver-Forum will appreciate your explanations in combination with the beautiful photos.

In the book "Baltic Silver" by Annelore Leistikov is a photo of a parrot-goblet, p. 91


See p. 81:
"During the rifle-festival the rifle-corps ...enjoyed plenty of beer...
A gilded goblet in the shape of a parrot sitting on a naturally shaped branch probably belonged to the Riga rifle-men. ... His head is detachable for drinking.
The trophy bears the master's mark LM. It could be the master Lorenz Martens (1612-1619).
After 1658 ... parrot shooting is no longer detectable.”

“The Silver Treasure of the Riga Blackheads Company” (catalog of an exhibition in Bremen, Roselius-Haus, March 23 - June 1, 1997 and an exhibition in Bielefeld, Huelsmann Foundation, June 21 - September 28, 1997) presents large photos of goblets, tankards, jardinieres etc. from Riga St. Petersburg, Libau, Danzig, Berlin, Hanau and London.


Source: © WFB/Focke Strangmann

In Hamburg was a renewal of the Brotherhood in 1961 with members from Riga.
1980 the brotherhood settles in Bremen and is registered as an association under the name "Compagnie der Schwarzen Häupter aus Riga".
Members no longer have to be born in Riga and getting married is no longer a reason for exclusion.
The company currently has 23 members, German merchants who aim to preserve their treasures, their history and the traditions of the Hanseatic cities.

It was a tradition among the Blackheads that each merchant donate an item of silver upon his initiation into the brotherhood.
In 1915 the silver collection in Riga consisted of 3400 silver works of art...
However, a large part of the treasure had disappeared, as well as part of the archive...
Now the remaining part of the magnificent, once enormous treasure has found its home in the Ludwig-Roselius-Museum in Bremen.
The company of the Blackheads from Riga is also based in Bremen.

Once a year, the silver works of art leave the museum for a day to decorate the table at the company's traditional fraternity meal."
„Kulturgut, das nie in Gebrauch ist, ist verlorenes Kulturgut.“ (A cultural treasure that is not used is a lost treasure).

In the Museum of the History of Riga and Navigation you can admire many works of art from the silver treasure of the Blackheads.
Source: Lettischer Verein, Hamburg e.V.

Regards
Silverstone

For more topics about Baltic silver see;

https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... 98#p210998
https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... 37#p210037
https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... 6&start=20
https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... 04#p208704
https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... ic#p206627
https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... 24#p149224
https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... ic#p174322
https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... ic#p156759
https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... ic#p153169
https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... ic#p150931
https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... 85#p144385

[Silverstone]

Dear members,

indeed a very old captain's spoon from 1796!
IGK
Kresener, Joachim Gottlieb (1789-1809)
Inscriptions:
J.J. Fenger Wwe. & Boettcher Riga 1796 + S:O:B. / I:M:P.
Wwe = widow





Lit.: Leistikov Annelore, Baltisches Silber, 1996, p. 321
Regards
Silverstone

[Scotrab]

First of all congratulations for a very nice and interesting Captain's Spoons.

Here few notes that might be of interest:

1. As Silverstone already pointed out, the spoon is quite old. The oldest Captain's Spoon known with certainty is a spoon from Elbing of 1753 in the collection of the Northern Maritime Museum in Groningen in the Netherlands. Spoons from the second half of the XVIII. century are known from Königsberg and Danzig, and now from Riga. The custom of giving ship's captains silver spoons as tokens of appreciation diffused quickly to all the ports on the Baltic.

2. For more details on the merchant house Fenger please see
https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... 51#p117451

3. Of interest here is to note that the merchant house J.J. Fenger Wittwe & J.G. Boettcher got its name after the death of the founder Johann Joachim Fenger in 1785 and it was changed back in the early years of the XIX. to the original name of Fenger & Co. after the takeover by his son. Silverstone's spoon is rare not only because of its age but also because there are probably fewer spoons with the inscription of the transition period of the merchant house.

4. A little more information on the silversmith Joachim Gottlieb Kresener can be found in V. Vilite, Latvijas Sudrabkali un Meistaru zimes, Rundales pils muzejs 1993, p. 66, nr. 190, particularly regarding his apprenticeship in the workshop of Michael Kresner III (a relative) and his admission to the Guild on 17 September 1789.

Best regards,

Scotrab

[Silverstone]

Dear Scotrab,

many thanks for your detailed information.
Your knowledge is rare and will delight us all!

I thank you with a “potpourri-collage” of captain's spoons.
The letter has been sent by the trading house "Schroeder & Co.,Riga”.
It is dated August 16, 1861, addressed to the banking house “Rothschild Frères” in Paris.



Source: © private photo - published 2023: "Deutsches Kulturforum östliches Europa, Potsdam"

Regards
Silverstone

[Scotrab]

Lovely spoons! And lovely photo!

Many thanks!

Scotrab

[oel]

A silver Baltic Sea spoon or captain's spoon.


Spoon length: 20.5 cm. Weight 50 grams.



A silver Baltic Sea spoon or captain's spoon. The coat of arms of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia at the front of the handle.
https://europeanheraldry.org/eastern-europe/courland/

Double maker's mark M.K
The maker's mark M.K in a double rectangle for; Martin Krüger, registered in Libau, 1780-1788.
See Baltic Silver by Carl Ehrnrooth page 359 and 320



At the back of the bowl an incompletely legible, later dotted engraving ...... Woudstra 1848


The Duchy was annexed by the Russian Empire in 1795.
National History Museum of Latvia

The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia was the longest-surviving state in the territory of Latvia during the Early Modern age. The duchy was created in 1561 after the defeat of the Livonian Order during the Livonian War, when the Master of Livonian Order sought after the protection of the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania. The duchy existed until 1795, when it was annexed to the Russian Empire after the last division of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. The territory of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia covered the territory of Latvia to the West from the Daugava River – regions of Courland, Semigallia and Selonia. Different administrative systems existed in the former Bishopric of Courland (District of Piltene). Initially the district of Grobiņa was not a part of the duchy as until 1609 it was under the power of the Duchy of Prussia.
The Duchy of Courland and Semigallia for more than two hundred years was under the reign of two ducal dynasties – Kettlers and Birons. The last Master of the Livonian Order Gotthard Kettler became the first duke after the Polish-Lithuanian king gave him the power over the former lands of the Livonian Order in the Western part of the territory of Latvia. The dukes were appointed by the king of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, but their political power at home was limited due to the extensive privileges of the local Baltic German landholding nobility.
In the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia there was no internationally important trade and craft centre like Rīga, but also in the small port towns – Ventspils and Liepāja – active trade took place, ships were built. The seat of the duke – Jelgava, also Bauska, Kuldīga and other towns were centres of craftsmanship and local trade. However, the main source of income was agriculture and the duchy remained a rural province. Spacious landholdings belonged to the dukes, while the owners of the private manors were mainly the Baltic Germans, who belonged to the nobility of Courland.
In the 17th century with an effort to expand the income of the duchy, there was a search for new profit-making opportunities in the economy. Duke Jacob Kettler in the middle of the 17th century promoted production of iron and copper goods, also textiles and glass in the local manufactories; he also sought to extend shipbuilding and fleet of Courland. Jacob Kettler also sought to make his duchy into a colonial power and for a short time ruled over Tobago Island (located off the northeast coast of the South American continent) and a fort in the mouth of the Gambia River (West Africa). Only by strengthening the economic power, the dukes were able to defend their political interests within the duchy and also internationally.
In the early 18th century the beginning of the Great Northern War and the struggle for the throne of the duchy overshadowed the development of the Duchy of Courland and Semigallia. After the marriage of the eighteen-years-old duke Friedrich Wilhelm Kettler to the next Russian Tsarina Anna Ioanovna, the duchy that was under the power of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth became under closer control of Russia. After the death of the last duke from the Kettler dynasty, in 1737 Ernst Johann von Biron, the favourite of Russian Empress Anna Ioanovna, became the duke of Courland and Semigallia. The building of luxurious residences of the dukes, from which the largest were the rococo style palaces in Rundāle and Jelgava characterizes the most successful period of the Biron reign. The Biron dynasty reigned in the duchy until it was annexed to Russia in 1795.
http://lnvm.lv/en/?page_id=1131

Noordelijk Scheepvaart Museum/ Museum aan de A collection of captain's spoons
https://www.noordelijkscheepvaartmuseum.nl/nl/
https://museum.eezeebee.com/places/details/11


Sources; Images courtesy of Catawiki, Baltic Silver by Carl Ehrnrooth

Peter.

[Scotrab]

Thank you Peter!

I remember the spoon: I saw it too late and I missed the auction. I particularly liked the fact that it had the arms of the Duchy of Kurland as city mark.

There is a little more information on Martin Krüger in both A. Leistikow's and V. Vilite's books:

A. Leistikow, Baltisches Silber, Institut Nordostdeutsches Kulturwerk, Lüneburg 1996, p. 257

V. Vilite, Lavijas Sudrabkali un Meistaru Zimes, Rundales pils muzejs 1993, p. 173, no. 1013

For the sake of completeness, perhaps the first entry is the one found in Erich Seuberlich, Beiträge zur Geschichte der baltischen Goldschmiede. Die Goldschmiede der kleinen Städte, Sonderabdruck aus den Sitzungsberichten der Gesellschaft für Geschichte und Altertumskunde der Ostseeprovinzen Russlands aus dem Jahre 1911, W. F. Hacker, Riga, 1913, p.206, no. 140.

The original report can be found online and downloaded from the site of the Estonian National Historical Archive at the University of Tartu. Here is the URL for the entire document:

http://dspace.ut.ee/bitstream/handle/10 ... 14_ocr.pdf

Best regards,

Scotrab

[oel]

Riga early silver spoon










Early silver spoon dating back to the history of Hanseatic cities and  Baltic Sea shipping trade. Smooth model with flat handle and rat tail under the bowl. - weight 44 grams, length 20.2 cm. 
Town mark of Riga, two crossed keys,with a small cross above.
Maker's mark IGE for; Johann Georg Eben, Riga, active 1703-1710. According to Annelore Leistikow (Baltisches Silber 1996), Eben is one of the most famous silversmiths in Riga in his short working life. In 1710 he died of the plague.

Various engravings. On the back of the stem: Hend & Asve von Dolre Ao (anno) 1703.

On the front of the stem: Grietje Dirks Dr (Doctor).
On the front at the top an image of a open boat/sloop and two initials: E.J.B. and W.K.

These kinds of spoons were often used as a promotional gift in Baltic shipping, which is why they are referred to as shipbroker's spoons or captain's spoons. Some background can be found about this spoon. The name (Freys) Van/Von Dolre occurs regularly in Amersfoort, but especially in Amsterdam, Zaandam and province of North Holland. Hendrik and Assueres/Asweerus are names that regularly appear in the Van Dolre family tree. In a bill of exchange from 1660 from Riga, the name Van Dolre also appears. In Jacob Scheltema's book Rusland en de Nederlanden deel III published in 1817 “Russia and the Netherlands part III”, Jacob Scheltema describes trade in Riga around 1700, which also includes Tsar Peter the Great. One Hendrik van Dolre is described here as an important Dutch merchant in Riga. Some colleagues are called Dirk...




Probably in later years, a boat and other owner's initials are engraved on it.


Source/Images Catawiki, Annelore Leistikow (Baltisches Silber 1996)



Peter.

[Hephaistos]

Captain's spoon, Reval/Tallinn 1828. Engraving H.J. Berg Reval 1828.

Back of spoon



Silver stamps, 13, for silver finesse 13 loth, Tallinn Town mark and CG for silver smith Carl Gustav Grossmann, active 1807-37

[Hephaistos]

Captain's Spoon, Reval/Tallinn delivered 1869

Wellknown ship agents/ship brokers Thomas Clayhill and Sons



Silver stamps from left to right
+CAS+ for Carl Adolf Seipel, wellknown silversmith in St Petersburg
Assay mark for HM (Cyrillic) and year 1868
Silver finesse 84 zolotnik
Town mark St Petersburg

[Silverstone]

Hi,
a supplement to Oel's comment - date: FR, Mar 31, 2023, 2:24 p.m.

Master's mark: MK = Krüger, Martin, active 1780-1788, Lit.: Leistikov Annelore, Baltisches Silber, 1996, p. 257
Merchant house: Frantz & Gaule
The trading house was not yet mentioned in this forum.






Source: archiv-photos - Carl Schirren-Gesellschaft e. V., Lüneburg
The Carl-Schirren-Gesellschaft e.V. (CSG) is a registered association that is responsible for the operative organization in the German-Baltic cultural work. CSG is also the founder of the Baltic German Cultural Foundation and the Baltic German Study Foundation.

Reagards
Silverstone

[Hephaistos]

Cross-border cultural habits, spotted around the Baltic Sea, realized in silver

In continuing the transfer of habits and ceremonies over the centuries, and observing that some of the most prominent surviving expressions are to be found in Tallinn, let us saddle the horses and splice the main brace.


Design for a goblet picturing a deer foot, or elk foot, the lid with a hunter with a musket. Aquarelle probably middle 16th century, Germany.

The Blackhead’s of Tallinn interpretation is impressive.


Deer foot goblet, authentic preserved foot, turned wood, leather. Made for the Brotherhood of Blackheads in Tallinn 1614. Height 107 cm.


Detail of the Blackhead’s deer goblet. Front painted with tree coat of arms. From top a presentation text of the donor Thomas Garfield 1614, below the ensign of the Blackheads, a coat of arms of alderman Paul Knieper (two stars and an anchor), third coat of arms for alderman R. Kaellermann (wild man) who saw to renovate the goblet in 1691 and 1722, respectively.

In 1714, the Russian tsar Peter the Great, after his victory 1709 in Poltava repeatedly visiting ne conquered land, bought a small house, a cottage, in outskirts of Tallinn city, outside the Town Wall. The swedes had withdrawn from Livonia westbound over the Baltic Sea. The cottage was, of course, absolute below status for his tsaritsa Catherine who ordered the building of the Kadriorg Palace, now the President’s premises.
On his visit to Tallinn already 1711, tsar Peter visited the Blackhead’s House and were served a drink from the already at this time antique deer foot goblet. Overwhelmed or flattered, imposed or drunk, he donated a sum to make a silver copy of the goblet.


Deer foot silver goblet for the Brotherhood of Blackheads, silversmith Peter Wilhelm Polack (active 1711-1721) in Tallinn, made 1721. An absolute unique artefact of the deer foot drinking ceremony. And, one may suspect, that the Peter the Great gift was fairly encouraging, already the year after the silver copy delivery, the original deer foot was, as mentioned above, renovated.

This is the short version of a long story. And, to my memory, a silver model of Peter the Great’s cottage in Tallinn was recently circulating in the silver market, maybe British auction houses? Anybody who knows?

[Silverstone]

Hi Hephaistos,

Peter the Great's Cottage in Kadriorg Park, Tallinn, Estonia

Perhaps a motto of tsar Peter the Great?
"Small cottage - huge goblet"


Photo: Tallinna Linnamuuseum

Regards
Silverstone

[Silverstone]

Dear members,

my English ist not so good.
This is a story about of the Blackhead’s deer goblet:

"Zu Anfang des 18. Jahrhunderts war Krieg im Baltenlande. Die Zeiten waren schlecht, und niemand dachte an Feste. Seit zwei Jahren schon hatte man niemand mit dem Becher begrüßt im Schwarzhäupterhause. Verstaubt und vergessen stand der Becher in einer Ecke, ein Tummelplatz der Spinnen und Mäuse. Da geschah es, dass unvermutet Peter der Große seinen Besuch anmeldete. Große Aufregung im Schwarzhäupterhaus. In aller Eile holte man den Becher hervor und füllte ihn mit Wein, ohne sich vorher um eine gründliche Reinigung zu kümmern. Erst als der Großmeister vor Peter stand, um auf dessen Gesundheit zu trinken, bemerkte er zu seinem Schrecken eine Maus, die auf dem Wein schwamm. Kurz entschlossen, schluckte er sie hinunter. Denn was blieb ihm anderes übrig? »Si non è vèro –« möchte man sagen, denn im allgemeinen pflegt man doch dem Gast den ersten Trunk anzubieten. Aber, wie dem auch sei: Sie haben nachher noch manche Maus hinunterschlucken müssen..."

Lit.: Revaler Spaziergänge, Projekt-Gutenberg

Regards
Silverstone

[Hephaistos]

Wunderbar,Wunderbar, Fantasie, Spiel und Spass. A twisting anecdote, a tsar served wine in the Blackhead's goblet with the hunting game spicing it!
Although of 7 feet length, he preferred to stay in low-roofed buildings.




As he did in his explorations of Dutch shipbuilding practices and naval architecture, staying at Zaandam 1697

[SilverK]

I have this charming little item in the shape of a breadbasket, but I would guess is a salt. I believe it is Russian/Estonian, from Tallin (Reval), perhaps early 19th century and a maker whose initials seem to me to read HC. I would be grateful if a forum member could identify all the marks for me!

Many thanks,

Silverk

[Ubaranda]

Yes, it's really Reval. The maker is Hermann Georg Clemens (1806-1843 and 1846-1856). In 1843-1846 he was an assayer.

[SilverK]

Thanks very much indeed for pinpointing the maker! Is there anything about the mark that would identify whether it was made during his first or second period? As for the piece itself, it's excellent workmanship in my opinion.

It's fantastic that we have the expertise on this forum to answer such questions.

Thanks again,

Silverk.

[Silverstone]

Hi SilverK,

a spoon of Hermann Georg Clemens, also a good workmenship:

a)

b)

c)

d)

Attention!
The master who punched CLEMENZ (with Z in the end) is a different master i.e. Carl Friedrich Clemens in Tallinn 1768-1793.
(Alur Reinans, p. 14 and 90 number 18).
Source: www.925-1000.com, by Qrt.S » Sat Jan 29, 2022 5:42 pm, Captain's spoon Pernau,

Source:
c) Hõbedamärgid Eestis, S. 90, Nr. 19
d) Baltisches Silber, Leistikov Annelore, Lüneburg 1996, S. 283
a) + b) © privat photos

Regards
Silverstone

[Ubaranda]

This basket was made in 1806-1843, because from 1844 the zolotnik system for assaying precious metals began to be used in Estonia .