This is a very special Patriots loderein box, without a maker's mark, with later duty marks and the ZII hallmark. Height 3.3 cm, width 3 cm weight 14 grams
The lid of the box shows an image with symbols of the French Revolution and the Batavian Republic.
The low fence with a small gate in a circle, symbolic of the Dutch Garden, in the middle the decorated Tree of Liberty. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_g ... of_Holland
On top of the tree the Dutch liberty hat. This is a hat that stands as a symbol for freedom. In the Netherlands this was often a guild hat that is comparable to the flat hat that you still see with the cheese porters in Alkmaar. https://www.kaasmarkt.nl/historie/kaasdragers It is used in paintings, on coats of arms and on coins.
Faces, like many other symbols of the French Revolution, are Roman in origin. Fasces are a bundle of birch rods containing a sacrificial axe. In Roman times, the fasces symbolized the power of magistrates, representing union and accord with the Roman Republic. The French Republic continued this Roman symbol to represent state power, justice, and unity.
https://www.midi-france.info/06141214_fasces.htm
The French Rooster, during the Revolution, the rooster became the symbol of people and of the State.
The text reads in Dutch; Vrijheid Gelijkheid Broederschap. Freedom, Equality, Brotherhood" (or in French, "Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité") is the national motto of France, and it embodies the core values of the French Republic. These ideals are rooted in the French Revolution and represent fundamental principles of French identity and democratic life.
Allegory of the alliance concluded between the Batavian Republic and the French Republic, 16 May 1795. The Dutch Maiden with a lance of liberty and a French soldier standing in the Dutch Garden, defended by the Dutch lion and the French rooster.
Alliantie met Frankrijk, 1795 - 1795 - Rijksmuseum, Netherlands - Public Domain.
On the back of the box is a big Keeshond, in English called Spitz/Dutch Barge Dog. The Keeshond was a reference to the patriots. Patriots found arming citizen important.They would then be able to defend freedom themselves. Arming also stood for civic spirit and democratic ideals. Although Kees was a term of abuse at the time, the patriots themselves used this name as a nickname. This means that they came to regard their name of abuse as an honorary title. At the back, the Tree of Liberty, this time with the Liberty cap, also known as the Phrygian cap. The text in Dutch IK Triumpheer translated I Triumph.
Let us celebrate our freedom with a good glass of wine
Woman bearing the burdens of life
Woman picking flowers
For a woman to pick flowers can have different meanings depending on the context. In most cases it indicates a positive experience, such as receiving a gift, experiencing beauty, or enjoying an activity such as flower arranging. Sometimes it can also be a euphemism, for example for deflowering a girl
A man who carries and brings flowers
In ancient times, flowers were valued not only for their beauty, but also for their symbolic meaning, especially in love and religion. Men who brought flowers often did so to convey a message of love, longing, or even betrayal, depending on the type of flower and the context. Flowers were also used to express respect, friendship, and other feelings, and often had a religious or spiritual meaning.
The crowned O, duty free mark of 1807
At edge of box and lid, twice Script I duty mark and twice ZII hallmark for silver 835/000, used 1953-present
The script-letter I used 1906-1953; Duty mark for unguaranteed standard of fineness new silver objects of national origin. This mark was used on all new Netherlands silver objects below legal standard of fineness, those with non-precious metal additions, and new heavily silver plated objects, as long as the average precious metal content after melting with the base metal was at least 250/1000. It was also struck on rejected objects which had been submitted at the lowest legal standard of fineness. In that case the maker had to choose between destruction or unguaranteed marking. This mark was sometimes mistakenly used on old and foreign objects and in 1927 also used on objects of old national origin. Valid from 1906 till 1953.
Below an other patriots lodereinbox with similar scenes at the box sites, the lid shows a Keeshond or Spitz with the text Ik Byt Op Myn Tyd/When the time comes I'll bite
The same images on the sides
CH in rectangle, the maker's mark of Cornelis van Hoek, registered in Amsterdam, 1786-1813, specialist maker of lodereinboxes. Townmark of Amsterdam with year letter F for 1789
Source: Auction house Van Spengen, auction 2023
For more Patriots boxes see; https://www.925-1000.com/forum/viewtopi ... 86#p200986
Peter.