The whaling ship Lants Welvaren and other whaling vessels among Icebergs with Whalers in action by a harpooned whale, Icebears nearby; and The merchantman Castricum taking leave from Dutch town with figures on a jetty, other shipping nearby

As has been kindly pointed out by Drs. C.P.P. van Romburgh of the Nederlands Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam, both compositions are based on prints by Adolf van der Laan (circa 1684-after 1755), published by Petus Schenk (see fig. 1). The artist H. Bakker may be identified as Hubert Bakker, who is known to have worked in Middelburg in 1763.

The whaling ship 's Lands Welvaren, first owned by the Amsterdam shipowners Egbert and Anton van der Berg & son, is known for its heavy journey to Spitsbergen in 1766, leaving Texel on 17 April. It got stuck in the ice and was only able to return with great difficulties on 11 August. Later owned by the Zaandam shipowners Hamma Klinckert & son, it sailed again for Spitsbergen in 1775, leaving on 5 March from Texel, and returning on 8 September with only three barrels of bacon after a very unsuccesful journey (P. Dekker, De laatste bloeiperiode van de Nederlandse Arctische Walvis- en Robbenvangst, 1761-1775, pp. 108, 126 and 236). ).
The year on the V.O.C. merchantman Castricum would seem to indicate the time it was launched.

As Drs. van Romburgh has pointed out, decorated Schenkbladen like these are only rarely seen on the market.

Colour Illustration and Front Cover Illustration