description

Wed. J.H. Stellingwerff & A.B. van Grasstek,
Amsterdam, 1842 en 1838 (2x) 1839 (2x) en circa 1839 (2x)
Geleverd door As. Bonebakker & Zoon te Amsterdam

2 Kandelabers: 3816 gram netto, 59,5 cm hoog
2 Kandelaars 1838: 917 gram netto, 28,7 cm hoog
4 Kandelaars 1839: 1905 gram netto, 28,7 cm hoog

Literature

Barend. J. van Benthem, De werkmeesters van Bennewitz en Bonebakker, Amsterdams grootzilver uit de eerste helft van de 19de eeuw, Zwolle, 2005

Detail Description

The Amsterdam-based company As. Bonebakker & Son had their clientele among aristocrats and wealthy families. Many well-known names appear in the records, as commissioners of gold and silver objects and jewellery. First of all, drawings of the objects were usually shown to the clients. Then, several Amsterdam silversmiths were appointed for the actual execution of the objects, depending on their specialisms, as service workers, flatware workers, small workers and others. Stellingwerff & Van Grasstek were regular suppliers as service workers to the company As. Bonebakker & Son.



Since the major part of these company records, such as order books, journals and ledgers, have been preserved and can be freely consulted in the Stadsarchief Amsterdam, the provenance of the items in this extensive silver ensemble could be checked. Consequently, the candelabra, made in 1842, could be linked to Mr C.P. van Eeghen. According to the journal and ledger the candelabra were delivered to him on 22 September 1842: - 2 Zilveren Girandolles ieder voor 4 lichten met matzilveren tulpen op 3 kantige grote voetstukken GK 3827 (gram) f. 975, together with two large tin barrels for the candelabra, costing 22 guilders extra. Christiaan Pieter van Eeghen (1816-1889) was a merchant, member of Van Eeghen firm, philanthropist and also initiator and founder of the Vondelpark in Amsterdam. He married Catharina Huidekoper (1822-1879) on 6 October 1842. It is very likely that these candelabra were intended for the wedding dinner table. In the 20th century these candelabra were owned by jhr. mr. Maximilien Vegelin van Claerbergen (1927-2007), ambassador for the Netherlands in Surinam and France. He had his family coat-of-arms engraved on the bases of the candelabra.



The two candlesticks in this ensemble, made in 1838, used to be part of a set of six that were commissioned by Mr C. Dedel, Keizersgracht, Amsterdam. On 5 November 1838, according to the records of As. Bonebakker & Son, the set of six was delivered to Mr C. Dedel (Willink), Keizersgr. bij de Spiegelstraat: 6 kandelaars op 3 kantige voeten met gaudronnen en driekantige kolommen met gaudr. Kopjes GK 2722 F. 600.



The other four candlesticks in this ensemble, also used to be part of a set of six, made in 1839 by Stellingwerff & Van Grasstek, according to the werkmeesterboek of As. Bonebakker & Son. On 16 May 1839 it was written in the werkmeestersboek: 16 (mei)- 6 drie kante kandelaars met goudrons GK 2836 gram f. 240,-. In the year 1839 Stellingwerff & Grasstek supplied just this set of six.

The set was presumably sold in 1841 to Dowager Mrs Brodski, Keizergracht. That year she bought a great variety of silver objects at As. Bonebakker & Son, such as salvers, candelabra, a teapot and also six candlesticks for a total of 2790,60 guilders. The description of these candlesticks reads: 6 kandelaars op driekantige voeten & Kolommen GK 3071 f 710,-. Apparently they were sold on 6 February, but they were delivered at 2 April 1841, as was scribbled in the margin.