A Dutch East India Company (V.O.C) silver ingot from the Bredenhof Bullion. 1936 gram.
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With a vage assay Master's mark, Middelburg, circa 1752. VOC mark stands for Vereenigde Oostindishche Compagnie. Weight 1936 gram. Measure 14,6x4x3,2 cm.
Provenance
The Stenbeck Collection.
Purchased at The Bredenhof Bullion; Christie's, Amsterdam, 4 December 1986.
Stenbeck was for many years the president of the Swedish Oriental Ceramics Society. His collection has been vast and unusual in comprising a wide range of Chinese porcelains produced primarily between 1572 and 1683, for the domestic Chinese, Japanese and Dutch markets.
Having studied, collected and exhibited these splendid wares for almost forty years, Stenbeck now feels that it is time to offer another part of his collection at auction. Bukowskis is pleased to have been able to sell items from this impressive collection during several auctions, see for example sale 568 an onwards.
This part, the Silver Collection focuses on the export silver.
Exhibitions
Compare Christies, 7 Dec 2018. Live auction 16217. The Eric Albada Jelgersma Collection Sale. Lot 548.
Literature
In September 1752 the Dutch Council of Seventeen of the V.O.C. ordered the Chamber of Middelburg to send the BREDENHOF via Ceylon to Bengal. The Bredenhof, built in 1746 was a vessel of 136 feet and 800 ton. The voyage to Bengal would be the third and last of the Bredenhof to the East Indies.
In the year 1752 the Chamber of Middelburg not only lost the WAPEN VAN HOORN, but also the famous GELDERMALSEN.
In the year 1753 the Chamber would suffer another loss: the Bredenhof. The Bredenhof's cargo manifest was listed as 14 barrels ('vaatjes') with specially minted VOC copper coins ('Duiten') and 30 chests with silver and gold. This was made up to 29 chests of bar silver, valued at 300 000 guilders, and one chest with 5 000 gold ducats, valued at 25 000 guilders. The silver was set apart for Bengal to be minted into silver Rupees.
In calm conditions, but as a result of treacherous counter currents, the Bredenhof was wrecked on a reef 13 miles from the east coast of Africa and about 120 miles south of Mocambique, the Portuguese settlement on the African coast. This tragedy took place on 6 June 1753.