SIlver seal from Amsterdam - Prob. 19th century

[anikopol]

Hi all,

I would like to know more about this object, a silver seal associated with a small penknife or toothpick (the expected use is not very clear to me).
I believe that it was made in Amstedam during the 2nd part of the 19th century, but I have little information about Dutch silver : I thus ask to this assembly.

Marks observed on this object :
- V inscribed in a crowned coat of arm : possibly Dutch mark for imported or unmarked items, 1814-93
source : https://www.925-1000.com/Fnetherlands_Date_Code.html
- coat of arms with three crosses, above the letter "H" in a rectangle: Amsterdam, I believe, but for which year or period ?
- DF in a square : silversmith mark ?


Thanks for your help !

[oel]

Amsterdam, not 19th but 18th century. Town mark for Amsterdam, attached year letter H for 1767, for 2nd standard silver or so called in Dutch,  kleine keur for silver 833/1000. The small penknife can be used as a letter opener.
Indeed crowned V; duty mark for foreign and other untaxed objects used 1814-1893. This duty mark does not give any guarantee of a precious metal standard of fineness. This mark has been used on metal with a 250 minimum silver content as a duty mark. This mark was destined for all imported, unmarked and invalid marked objects of foreign, national and unknown origin. Upon the invalidation of the hallmarks of Louis Napoleon's kingdom of Holland and those of the French Empire in 1816, this mark also has been used as a tax free census mark.
Maker's mark DF

DF, in bold with serifs in rectangle for Dirk Froger, registered in Amsterdam,1731-1780. Dirk was born in 1708. Walloon, son of Willem Froger, fan maker and Anna Schut. Dirk became master in 1731 and married that year met Reyertje van Guttikoven, two of their sons later became silversmith. He made small silver objects, book clasps and mounts, thread holders and silver buttons. Dirk Froger died in 1780.
For information about Dutch (hall)marks see;
viewtopic.php?t=32028
For more information about Froger see;
https://www.siskens-van-heijst.nl/Famil ... 06_025.htm


Peter.
Source; K.A. Citroen, Amsterdamse zilversmeden en hun merken

[anikopol]

Hi Peter,

Many thanks for your answer. I know from your various posts on this forum that you have a good knowledge of Dutch silver, so your information are precious to me (or us, forum readers !).
I also appreciate that you specified a reference book on antique Amsterdam silver ; by the way, it seems that there is quite some litterature on Dutch/Flemmish silver : collectors must appreciate that !

That is a pretty good news to learn that this item is older than expected (something around 1820-60 basically).
Interesting also that the small penknife can be used as a letter opener, I did not had this idea, but it is more logical with a seal than toothpick as I first suggested.

Thank you !

[oel]

Your welcome, can you show us some images of the little penknife and its marks?

Peter.

[anikopol]

Hi,

Some additionals pics for interested visitors.







Regarding marks on the objects, we can see :
- 3 marks already published, punched near the main seal : town mark for Amsterdam : H for 1767, silverssmith mark DF, and a crowned V
- a crowned V was also punched on each of the 4 penknives (nevertheless, the tax controller choose to not punch another crowned V on the latest moving part, the one with a small seal at the top of the object)

[oel]

Hi, thanks for the extra contribution and images.
It explains a lot and we can name it better, not a little penknife. What you have in your possession is a pipe set​ or accessories, ensemble with varying pipe "tools", usually consisting of two different pipe ​scrapers, a​ tobacco stopper and an ear spoon, which are placed around a hinge in a key-shaped holder. At the bottom of this key there is generally a seal, which also can be used as a pipe stopper. The oldest pipe sets date from around 1700. Since the 19th century there have been pipe sets in which ​a​ holder replaced by a ring or hinge which holds the different parts together​.

https://pipemuseum.nl/nl/article/zilver ... enwroeters
The pipe tool is an indispensable object for the pipe smoker, an item that is known by a wondrous number of synonyms in Dutch language. The word pijpewroeter (pipe rooter, pipe cleaner) or nowadays pijpenwroeter is the most common and refers to the function: rooting in the pipe bowl. Synonyms are pijpekeuter, pijpekloker or in more specific dialect: piepreukel, piepreutelder, piepuitpluzer or paiperoder. Even Flemish has more than one indication, such as pijpuithaler (pipe extractor) or pijpdoorsteker (pipe piercer).In spite of all these names, the pipe cleaner is firstly a simple instrument purely intended to empty the pipe bowl of ash and tobacco crumbs. Already in the seventeenth century smokers used pins, necessary to remove the ashes from the tiny pipe bowls. These could have been made out of a simple piece of bone, metal or wood. Preserved were the luxury counterparts from the eighteenth century. Examples of these are the multi-part hinged garniture that has been provided with a pipe stopper together with tools to clean the pipe bowl (Fig. 1). In this set, also referred to as travel necessaries, there are all kinds of toilet tools as well. Under the hinge is often a cachet with an engraved seal. In addition, there is the silver knipkoker in which also several loose tools are brought together, including the pipe cleaner, sometimes combined with a pipe stopper.

https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=2 ... 3&dpr=1.25

Peter.

Source; Janjaap Luijt, Het zilver lexicon voor Nederland en België, 2005

[anikopol]

Hi Peter,

Thanks once more for your additional comments, that as often bring an interesting light on this silver item.
(thanks also for the link and the translation from Dutch !)

Now that you outlined that this is a pipe set​, it appears clearer for me. I personaly do not smoke, and since pipe is quite old-fashioned now, it is quite a long time since I last saw a pipe-smoker, with its small set that they use in order to set or "arrange" its tobacco in the pipe : I thus did not make the link till you did.
The silversmith idea/conception of an item that joins a (double) seal with a pipe set nevertheless appears a bit strange to me, since I do not see a clear link between these two types of item (except, to some extend, that both a seal and a pipe set can be considered as : small, and quite "personnal" item).

The general design of my seal & pipe set is indeed very close to the one of the item APM 4.647 made in Haarlem, "1725-65" and from the Amsterdam pipe museum shown on your link -even if one of the four (or five, with the small seal) moving tools differ from one item to the other (a rong tool for tamping tobacco Vs a tool with two crescent tips).
Datation of the item APM 4.647 provided by the museum notice is a bit imprecise "Haarlem, 1725-65" :
https://pipemuseum.nl/nl/collection/apm-4-647
based on the picture of the marks provided with the notice, would it be possible to be more precise ?

[oel]

A letter seal derives from the important process of sealing documents, edicts & letters with wax to guarantee provenance but here it can also be used as a tobacco pipe stopper. Pipe stopper is a small elongated instrument with a round plate at a right angle on the end to press tobacco into a pipe.
In my opinion what is often called an ear spoon is simply used to empty the pipe bowl of tobacco residues. Pipe scrapers can also be used to remove dirt from under your nails. Some sellers call the pipe scrapers tongue scrapers. Yes, a pipe accessory is a nice multiple purpose set.
Dating of the Haarlem Pipe accessory is an assumption as the year letter is missing or not visible, also the Haarlem master mark is unknown.


Peter.

[anikopol]

Hi Peter,

Regarding the link between the small seal and pipe smoker : I agree on the fact that the form of the small seal is very similar to the one of the small tool often use by pipe smokers in order to push/compress tobacco in their pipe. Nevertheless, I would consider that the seal surface should be protected, so that the printed mark (coat of arms or here, a monogram) would stay clear & sharp enough, in order to be recognisable by the reader of the letter. By using a seal as a tool to compress tobacco, you naturally generate some friction that could, after some time, damage a bit seal engraving. I thus consider that this double purpose use of a seal is somewhat unlogical.

Thanks for your look to the museum item's marks, I hoped at first that these marks would be readable enough for someone with a knowledge in Dutch silver marks, but I understand that in fact they are quite worn here !

[oel]

There is, in my opinion not much difference in wear & tear if you push the seal in hot sealing wax or push the seal in cold or hot tobacco.
Today many marks used by silversmiths working during the guild period are unknown. In 1807 by Royal degree all guild insculpation plates had to be destroyed, by doing so many maker's marks with the name of the gold & silversmiths were lost.
https://www.parthenay.fr/musee/devineto ... sculpation


Peter