Parrot decorations. This type of decoration probably originated around 1770. The parrots are very finely engraved, at the bottom of the parrots a chequered decor with rocaille. The matching hook is also decorated with a parrot. This indicates that bracket and hook were also originally purchased as a whole. The brackets made in Middelburg are indistinguishable in style from the brackets made in Schoonhoven. Weight purse frame 170 gram, length 16 cm, height 8 cm. The belt hook weight 31 gram, length 8 cm, width 3,5 cm.
The hallmarks. Town mark of Middelburg, the (Castle) Tower with conjoined year letters L for 1778, used 1776-1778 and M for 1779 used 1779-1781. So called “kleine keur” for silver of 2nd standard being; 10 penningen 16 grein or 888/000
Crowned O; on March 1807, by order of the King of Holland, a new hallmark law on the working, importing and sale of gold and silver objects, including the levy of duty on the same was implemented. Silver smiths, retailers and silver- shop holders could, for a few weeks, bring in their old hallmarked and previous made silver & gold objects and have those objects stamped with the crowned O, the capital letter O, the first letter for the Dutch word 'Onbelast'= duty-free; no tax duty had to be paid.
After this period, a tax duty had to be paid and the crowned B was applied, the capital letter B, the first letter for the Dutch word 'Belasting' = Tax. After the 18th of April 1807, officially no work with old hallmarks was allowed to be sold without the crowned O, unless tax was paid and the object stamped with the crowned B. NB. Many variations of the crowned O were used in this short period and the crowned O often has been faked for duty dodging and other reasons. Sometimes we see the crowned B in combination with the crowned V for foreign/imported articles. All duty and import mark give no guarantee of the standard or fineness of the silver/gold used
Crowned V; Crowned V for large items; 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.
On purse bracket and belt hook.
The maker’s mark a goat jumping up facing left for (seen in 4 versions); Cornelis Bockx, born 12th April 1750. Apprentice under Jan van Batenburgh (maker’s mark unknown). Registered silversmith Middelburg 1777-1812.
Cornelis married twice; first wife Cornelia Cats died 31 year old in Middelburg 1795, in May 1796 he married with Cornelia Johanna Kooymans. Cornelis Bockx died Middelburg 69 year old, in 1820.
Cornelis made small silver work; purse frames, bible claps, cases (knipkokers), belt hooks, altar bell.
City hall collection Middelburg / Stadhuiscollectie Middelburg ( Zeeuws Archief ) purse bracket and belt hook made by Cornelis Bockx;
Notice the extra S-shaped joint added between the ring of the hook and that of the bracket. With heavy bag brackets, such an intermediate piece was often added to let the bag or purse hang a little lower on the skirt.
Over the years the purse bracket has suffered serious damage, the inner bracket broken with a piece missing and some sloppy previous repairs visible, which had to be repaired by an experienced silversmith. It must be said that when a leather or velvet purse is reattached to the purse bracket, the repairs are difficult to notice.
During my years of collecting and handling silver, when needed I use the services of Werner Nijman a good silversmith based in the old city centre of Vlaardingen. After finishing his education at "de vakschool" in Schoonhoven Werner Nijman has worked as a silversmith in Londen at Wakely and Wheeler's ( Mappin and Webb, Harrods and Asprey 's) Since 1990 established in Rotterdam. Specialized in making and restoring large silverware, but also specialized in making gold and silver jewellery. In 2004 Werner has moved to Vlaardingen. Located in a small 17th century building in the Hoogstraat of Vlaardingen.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vlaardingen
The mark of silver & goldsmith Werner Nijman.
Peter.
Source; year letters Citroen Dutch Goldsmiths’ and silversmiths’ marks and names prior to 1812, Middelburg page 226. The town and maker’s mark en silver standard; J. de Bree Zeeuws Zilver pages 67, 106, 211. Information; Nederlands Klein Zilver 1650-1880 B.W.G. Wttewaall 1987