A FRAGMENT OF GREEN FELT FROM THE LINING OF JAN VAN SPEYCK'S OVERCOAT

CIRCA 1831

Details

A FRAGMENT OF GREEN FELT FROM THE LINING OF JAN VAN SPEYCK'S OVERCOAT
CIRCA 1831
The fragment attached to a letter with two wax seals, signed by midshipman W. A. de Gelder. In his letter to second luitenant van de(r) Hein, written on the 26th of October 1831, de Gelder declares that the coat was given him by van Speyck on the 4th of February 1831.

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Lot Essay

Jan van Speck was the commander of the Kannoneerboot no. 2 during the bombardment of Antwerp in February of 1831. On the 5th of February, a strong wind drove his ship driven onto Belgian shores where it was entered by the Belgian rebels. Rather than surrendering his ship van Speyck ignited the barrels of gunpowder in the hold, killing both himself, his crew and the Belgian rebels on board.

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