175 – PKN Magazine
The Prodigal Son. A comic strip from the eighteenth century on an elegant tobacco box – Bert van der Lingen
Already around 1590, when the smoking of tobacco in clay pipes was introduced in the Netherlands, existing small boxes were used to store and transport tobacco. Quite soon, mostly copper tobacco boxes were used, specifically made for this purpose. In the seventeenth century, these boxes were egg-shaped and sometimes had a built-in metal tamper to press the tobacco into the pipe. By the mid-seventeenth century, oval engraved tobacco boxes appeared, which were followed by elongated boxes with rounded and later slanted short sides, such as the remarkable tobacco box shown here, which was donated last year to the Historical Society Nieuwkoop and surroundings. The tobacco box, dating from the period 1740–1770, features a biblical representation. This article describes a very fine tobacco box from the HGN collection, in which the biblical story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15, verses 11–32) is engraved in the form of a cartoon and accompanied by texts. And this has been executed in a particularly fine manner.
Members of the States General, 1742 – Bas Konijnendijk
The text describes the political role of the States General in the Republic and their composition of provincial delegates. Around 1740–1750, the period of the pipe bowl, various cities and provinces annually appointed new commissioners. The pipe bowl described in this article shows four figures who likely represent these newly appointed delegates from 1742, including one from Gouda. The object can therefore be seen as a tribute by Gouda pipe makers to their representation in the highest governing body. The pipe is richly decorated, of high quality, and provided with symbols such as coats of arms and a text band referring to the States General. Dirck Sevenhuysen, Adriaan van Groenendijk, Boldewijn Sloet tot Lindenhorst en Slotenhagen, Thimon van Meel, Lieve Pijl, Dirk Mansvelder, Willem Brammert, Louwerens Stalderwijk, Jan Bastiaensz Overwesel, Gerrit Nobel, Freek Mayenburg, Duco.
Salomon van Wijmen, pipe maker (1771–1773) and criminal – Ruud Stam
The story describes the short career and criminal activities of pipe maker Salomon van Wijmen in Gouda. After his failed career, he turned to the theft of iron and other materials, which he sold to a fence, Adrianus de Roode. During several interrogations in 1775, he confessed to numerous thefts, despite attempts to protect himself and De Roode. His motive turned out not to be poverty, but the squandering of an inheritance and a dissolute lifestyle. Although there was strong evidence against De Roode, only Van Wijmen was convicted and sentenced to flogging and banishment. Salomon van Wijmen, J. Smit, Willem Frederiksz van der Hoeve, Izaak van Wijmen, Pieter Schalkwijk, Jacobus Swart, Arij van der Spelt, Jan van Gent Gzn., Willem Wagenaar, Pieter Soldaat, Jan Sonneveld, Aart Bremmert, Ruth Boot, Adrianus de Roode, Wouter Begeer.
A pipe cleaner and a small tamper with a story – Ruud Stam
The text describes a hare’s jump, a small bone from a hare’s leg that was used as a simple and inexpensive tool to clean pipes. This object was widespread in rural areas and was later also produced as a luxury item in silver or bronze. In addition to this bone, a special pipe tamper was found, made from coins. This tamper referred to “six-and-a-quarter,” the nickname of the Nazi administrator Seyss-Inquart. The object served as a subtle form of resistance and mockery during the Second World War. Arthur Seyss-Inquart.
The pipe maker Nicolaas van Son de Lang from Gorinchem and the mark NVSDL with crowned fish (1819–1823) – Bert van der Lingen
The article describes a unique pipe bowl from Gorinchem with a side mark consisting of five initials (NVSDL), attributed to the pipe maker Nicolaas van Son de Lang. He started his business around 1814–1819, despite the poor economic situation of the pipe industry. Van Son de Lang grew to become one of the last and largest pipe makers of Gorinchem, but he died as early as 1823. The pipe with this distinctive mark can therefore be dated quite precisely between 1819 and 1823. After his death, his widow Elisabeth van Heeten continued her life through several marriages and remained involved in the pipe industry in Gouda. Nicolaas van Son de Lang, Johan Philippus de Lang, Janetta van Son, Jan Valke, Johannes de Lang, Jan Dam, Johanna Dam, Elisabeth den Heeten, Dirk van der Hart, Thomas Stalenberg, Huijbert Stalenberg, Katharina van Outheusden, Michael van Leefland, Hans Brinkerink.