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Lot Essay
The financial document from 30 July 1851, of which a copy is accompanying this lot, confirms that this goblet has always been in a family of whalers and sealers (...op het adres van N. Brantjes en W. Smit kooplieden te Purmerend ...door hem uitgerust ter Walvisch en Robbenvangst...).
Willem Smit and Nicolaas Brantjes, both ancestors of the present owner and both from a whalers family, founded a traankokerij in Purmerend. On one of their journeys north of Norway they spotted a 30 meter long dead whale, which they transported to their factory in Purmerend. It's skeleton was first offered to Artis, the Zoo in Amsterdam, but they declined because of the high transport costs. The Zoo in Antwerp was pleased to accept the skeleton, where it still can be admired.
Willem Smit and Nicolaas Brantjes, both ancestors of the present owner and both from a whalers family, founded a traankokerij in Purmerend. On one of their journeys north of Norway they spotted a 30 meter long dead whale, which they transported to their factory in Purmerend. It's skeleton was first offered to Artis, the Zoo in Amsterdam, but they declined because of the high transport costs. The Zoo in Antwerp was pleased to accept the skeleton, where it still can be admired.