THE BRANDY BOWL.
There is another family coat of arms, which plays a role in our family. It is engraved in a silver
brandy bowl, as shown on this page.
It is not clear (yet) how the bowl came into the family, but there are a few clues on the bowl to
investigate.
At the bottom of the bowl there is a ‘signature’ of
the silversmith: HS.
The book "Groninger Keur, Zilver uit Stad en
Ommelanden" (by Jean - Pierre van Rijen, 1997)
shows a list of ‘signatures’ of master gold and silver
smiths in the province of Groningen on pp. 299-301.
Based on this list, it can be assumed with certainty
that the creator of the brandewijnkom is Hindrick
Shutter, who was a silver smith in the city of
Groningen from 1653 to 1685.
Bottom of the brandy bowl.
The second sign on the bottom of the bowl is the hallmark of the city of Groningen, as indicated
on the website of the Nationale Keurtekenbank (only in Dutch).
The hallmark shows the letter O. It should show a number as well, but that is not legible.
In the time that Hindrick Shutter has been a silversmith in Groningen, the letter O was used only
once: in the year 1667/1668. That year had the number 3.
The same brandy bowl appeared in the TV program 'Antiques Roadshow' in September 2015, also
engraved with a family coat of arms on the side.
The expert in this program told that this is a typical model used in Groningen.
The Frisian model looks just like this, only that model has horizontal handles.
On festive occasions such a bowl was passed around and one could take a sip of the content (of
brandy I assume).
THE FAMILY COAT OF ARMS.
On the side of the bowl a family coat of arms is engraved.
Actually, there are two, indicating an alliance.
The genealogy terms the alliance is mostly a marriage.
In that case, the coat of arms of the family of the groom is placed heraldic right (in everyday life
that is on the left side), and the coat of arms of the family of the bride is placed heraldic left.
The origin of the ‘alliance coat of arms’ is not clear (yet), but it has some features that may
provide an explanation.
THE ‘HUISMERK’.
A ‘huismerk’ is a simple lined sign, indicating a person or a farm and accompanying posessions.
On the bottom left of the ‘alliance coat of arms’ on the brandy bowl there is a ‘huismerk’,
accompanied by the letters I and C.
‘Huismerk’ on the brandy bowl ‘Huismerk’ 163 as listed by GDW.
The ‘huismerk’ on the brandybowl looks a lot like the ‘huismerk’ 163 in GDW: the horizontal line
is slightly longer and a vertical line has added.
GDW is short for a book of A. Pathuis: Groninger Gedenkwaardigheden, 1977.
This book is a collection of texts (on tombstones, churches and other buildings, etc.), coats
of arms and ‘huismerken’ to remember people by. The book describes texts from 1298
until 1814 in the province of Groningen.
‘Huismerk’ 163 is listed in GDW at several places: numbers [1226], [1227], [1234], [1237],
[1238], [1253] en [1256].
JOHAN GERREITS AND EETIEN JANSEN
All these references concern epitaphs from Garmerwolde:
[1226]: died Feb. 15, 1626 Eetien Jansen
[1227]: died Dec 24, 1628 Johan Gerreits
[1234]: died Aug 26, 1668 Johan Cornelis, son of Cornelis Jans
[1237]: no name, only a date: 1685.
[1238]: died Mar 24, 1690 Klaes Cornelis
[1253]: no name, only a date: 1602
[1256]: only the letters K.C.
Johan Gerrits (ref.[1227]) has more references in GDW:
[1220]:
Text on the tower bell of the Protestant church in Garmerwolde :
EVERHART DE MEPSCHE, EILARDUS LODWICUS BREMENSIS, PASTOR, JOHAN GERRITZ UND ARENT
DERX, KERCKVOGEDEN THO GARMERWOLT, ANNO 1604 FRI, DOE GOT GERT POWELS MI THO EMDEN
[1221]:
Tekst op de torenklok N.H. kerk Garmerwolde:
1614 EVERHRT DE MEPSCHE, HARMANNUS SEBASTIANI, PASTOR, JOHAN GERREITS UND JAN SICKES,
KERCVOGEDEN THO GARMERWOLDE
These references show that Johan Gerrits had an important function in the Protestant Church in
(the small village of) Garmerwolde and in that position he also had contacts with the noble
family De Mepsche .
In the figure below, the ‘huismerk’ is added to Johan Gerrits and Claas Cornelis, in accordance
with the references in GDW
The ‘Alliance coat of arms’ on the brandy bowl.
JACOB DREWES (STUIRWOLT) AND WISKE JACOBS SCHULTENS
In the next diagram, I start with Jacob Drewes (Stuirwolt) and some of his descendants and in-laws.
In this diagram you also see the name of Ite Cornelis. Maybe the letters I and C next to the ‘huismerk’ are of
this Ite Cornelis as well.
Ite Cornelis is a son of Cornelis Ites and Trijntje Harmens.
Before her marriage with Cornelis Ites, Trijntje Harmens married Jacob Schultens from Leegkerk, son of Jacob
Drewes and Wiske Jacobs Schultens (1) in 1671.
According to the marriage certificate Trijntje Harmens came from Uithuizen .
Children from this marriage: Wiske Jacobs Schultens (2) and Jacob Jacob Schultens.
Although, it is not sure which of the two spouses of Trijntje Harmens is the father of Jacob.
In the next diagram I assume Ite Cornelis is the father.
SUMMERY
If I am assuming that the ‘huismerk’ on the brandy bowl refers to the family of Johan Gerrits and
Etien Jansen and the letters I and C refer to Ite Cornelis from the schedule of Jacob Drewes and
Wiske Jacobs Schultens (1), I can link these families, the brandy bowl and Alma, as shown in the
diagram below.
A part of my lineage is shown in red.
CONCLUSION
The assumption that the ‘huismerk’ on the brandy bowl is derived from ‘huismerk’ 163 from
GDW, leads to a link with Johan Gerrits and Etien Jansen in Garmerwolde.
This link is confirmed by genealogical research, as summarized in the diagram above.
In view of this results it is obvious that the brandy bowl ends up in Deventer in the Alma family
through Willem Ites / Anje Redmers.
Any inventory can provide clarity about this.
However, the bowl is made in 1667/1668. That is about 35 years before the marriage of Ite
Cornelis and Eyske Willems. A later marriage of Ite is excluded because he is deceased before
Eyske.
The bowl is made about 15 years before the marriage of his father Cornelis Ites and Trijntje
Harmens (1682), so it will therefore not be purchased fot this occasion.
More so, because the letter S on the female side of the alliance weapon is not in reconciliation
with the name of the bride.
The grandfather of Ite Cornelis may have the same initials, but I estimate, that he married in
1660 or earlier, so the date of manufacture of the bowl does not fit.
Further research into the bowl is necessary. In particular, the female part of the alliance coat of
arms (withe the letter S) may provide more data.
ALMA
BRANDY BOWL