Benjamin Overdorp Deventer silversmith 18th century and Haarlem silversmith Dirk Van Dalen

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oel
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Benjamin Overdorp Deventer silversmith 18th century and Haarlem silversmith Dirk Van Dalen

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Deventer the city on the river IJssel.

Deventer the city on the river IJssel, Hanseatic city with a rich history. Deventer is one of the oldest cities in the Netherlands, until the 16th century, Deventer was the economic capital of the eastern part of the Spanish Netherlands. As the world economy changed, it lost its economic power and prestige to Amsterdam and other cities in the west.
For two centuries Deventer was a provincial town full of faded glory, but in the 18th century it again played the intellectual leading role in the East Netherlands patriotic movement. In the 19th century Deventer developed early into a liberal stronghold. Enterprising residents of Deventer guided the city into industrialization, after which socialism also found an early breeding ground.



Silver from the city of Deventer made in the time of the guilds.

The silver guild of Deventer used three silver standards. Unlike most other cities in the Netherlands where only a distinction was made between silver 1st standard and 2nd standard, Deventer was allowed to use a 3rd standard.
Deventer silver standards.
1st standard Spanish real silver 93% pure silver hallmarks Deventer city coat of arms an eagle together with a city shield
2nd standard Rijksdaalder silver 88.5% pure silver hallmark only the Deventer city coat of arms the eagle
3rd standard Koningsdaalder silver 75% pure silver hallmark only the city shield.

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Source; Goud en zilvermerken van Voet L.B. Gans Premsela en Hamburger page 42

The year letter was introduced around 1620, it was the mark of the assayer. One and the same year letter was sometimes used for several years. In 1725 a number was added to the year letter series, for example year letter 2A=1725 and 3A=1749. Every year a new year letter.

Over the centuries, Deventer has been occupied several times by the Spaniards, by German troops at the request of the French King Louis XIV. Turmoil, unrest between patriots in favour of the Republic and Orangists who supported the stadtholders and specifically the princes of Orange. The patriotic city council of Deventer was brutally expelled on September 20, 1787, by Prussian soldiers, sent by the king of Prussia, the brother-in-law of William V, Prince of Orange. During time of turmoil many silver objects from churches and from civilians were stolen by the occupiers and melted down and made into money to pay the troops.

Deventer silver purse bracket.

Purse bracket. Closure mechanism for a small bag, consisting of two sometimes three semicircular brackets that are connected at the ends with a hinge. At the close of the purse, the brackets fall against each other. A locking device is fitted at the top. The purse bracket is smaller than the bag bracket. A purse made of beads (after 1850), fabric (velvet) or leather or chainmail is attached to the brackets, in which the user can take her money. In the 20th century, a large number of bag brackets were converted into photo frames. See:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=57674

The antique silver purse brackets are collected by people, often ladies, who are handy with a needle and thread. The original leather or fabric purses have usually perished, disappeared or have been removed. Some of the collectors have the hobby of making a new purse on the bare brackets. Curtain fabric is often used. I like my purse brackets to be naked.
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The marks from left to right
VD in oval shield, year letter 2G=1731, town mark Deventer, one headed eagle, maker's mark OBD. Later duty mark Dolphin. Weight without the purse 138 gram, width 14 cm, height 10 cm
The Dutch dolphin mark; the 1859 duty mark for new unguaranteed objects of national origin.This mark was sometimes also mistakenly used on old and foreign objects. Dolphin mark used from 1859-1893 and valid from 1859 till 1953. .


OBD or better BOD is for Benjamin OverDorp
Benjamin Overdorp born in his hometown Zutphen, where he was christened on 27 September 1682 as son of Egbert Overdorp and Aaltjen in den Dam. In Zutphen he was trained as a silversmith. Later in 1714 he became burgher (citizen) in Deventer and married Anna van Beeck. Entered the Deventer silver guild in 1714, inculpation plate # 26 under the name of Beniamgen Overdorp. One of their children, Derk Jan, born in 1726, also became a silversmith in Deventer.
Benjamin Overdorp, who held the position of deacon from 1721 onward, died in 1756 and was buried on 10 March. His oeuvre varies, from flatware to all sorts of objects that are struck with his maker’s mark such as liturgical beakers, a potpourri, a horse comb and a tobacco jar. NB. Benjamin Overdorp died in 1756, his mark was used after his death by his son Derk Jan Overdorp, who only received his own master's mark in 1782.

Source; Deventer Zilver', by J.R. ter Molen, page 147, footnote 1-
Source; Glans langs de IJssel Deventer zilver Dr. Joh. R. ter Molen pagina 104


The mark of Benjamin Overdorp seen on silver teapot and silver brazier, year letter 2F for 1730

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Source; Jacob J. Roosjen specialist European Silver

The mark as seen on the purse frame a year later in 1731
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The mark of Benjamin Overdorp used by his son Derk Jan. Year letter 3Q for 1764
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The only question that remains is what is the meaning of the 2nd master mark VD in oval? We will find the answer when we have removed the modern purse and can take a good look at the “naked” brackets.

Rococo model (1730-1785). A bag bracket, made up of C-shaped volutes.
The bracket is cast, with a finely engraved decoration between the hammered volutes, which is completely adapted to the shape of the bracket. This type of bracket was widely used. Source; Nederlands Klein Zilver B.W.G. Wttewaall pagina 39 Groep II
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The purse went through a tough period which caused damage. The bracket has been repaired, very professionally by a silversmith. A torn eye has been repaired with a thin silver plate soldered on the bracket. Almost invisible when a purse is sewn to the bracket. The second repair is at the lock hook, on the other side of the lock hook is, again a thin plate soldered on the bracket. It is not noticeable when wearing the purse, with a hook on a skirt belt.

NB. Additional silver has been added to the bracket. The silversmith who made the repair and added the extra silver had to take his responsibility, used a legal silver standard, and therefore struck his responsibility mark, his maker’s mark VD on the silver bracket.


Little piece of silver plate soldered on the bracket to repair a broken eye

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The repair crack locking hook

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Small sheet of silver plate soldered on bracket to repair crack at lock hook opposite side.

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The mark VD in oval. I believe we may attribute the mark to the Haarlem silversmith Dirk Van Dalen, registered in Haarlem 1753-1794, known work; silver book claps, needle cases, and silver quill, bag brackets and belt hooks.
Source; K.A. Citroen Haarlemse zilversmeden en hun merken, pagina 53

Mark of Dirk van Dalen seen on silver book claps;

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Source; Museum Catharijneconvent Objectnummer BMH od1796

The mark on the bracket
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Peter
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