AN INDONESIAN SILVER COMMEMORATIVE SALVER, 'GEDACHTENISBORD', COMMEMORATING HERMANUS STELLINGSWERFF (1737-1768)


Jakarta (Batavia), circa 1768, apparently unmarked

Of octagonal shape, the borders with scallop and foliate motif, the back inscribed: “Ter Gedagtenis, van Hermanus Stellingswerff, in zijn leven, Burger Lid in ‘t Eerw; Collegie, van Huwl; en Klijne Geregts Zaken, Geboor; te Utregt den 13 April 1737, overlee; te Batav; den 29 Decemb; 1768.”

(In memory of Hermanus Stellingswerff, member of the council for marriage and minor law cases, born in Utrecht 13 April 1737, deceased in Batavia 29 December 1768).

H 31.7 x W. 31.4 cm

Note:

Hermanus joined the VOC at the age of 13 as “Jongen” (boy) and sailed to Jakarta (Batavia) with the ship “Leijden” of the Amsterdam Chamber. His departure at such a young age may be a consequence of the fact that his parents divorceda just two months before Hermanus sailed to the Dutch East Indies. His mother was “seer weerbarstig tegen haar echtgenoot met dagelijks schelden, lasteren en onlust in de Huijshoudige verwekkende”. Indeed not a pleasant atmosphere for a young boy to live in. Since 1757 Hermanus was “ordinaris”, clerk, at the “Generale Secretarie” and in March 1764 he is mentioned as a bookkeeper and a married man. On 31st July 1764, he had served his years for the VOC and became a “vrijburger”. In 1765 he was mentioned as deacon and trustee of
het “Armenhuys” in Batavia. On 6th December 1768 he was appointed member of the commission of “huwelijkse en
kleine gerigts zaken”, twenty-three days later he died.