Table Of ContentCover Picture
The diarnnd seske Raat on our ener was proba
bly made by Jan Lindenman I of Amsterdam who
was working helween en 1785 and IRDS, 11 is come
plete with its twoszr, skevel and most of 1s carat
weights. ‘The hasdivood bux measures 5 7 :
hy T° aml has amgiad comers Seales by the
‘Lindsrman family are valued by collectors for their
rand colored labels unl the skill with shih they
were constructed, road move about those seales
302 the aitiele The Lindermams of Amsterdam om
pages 41074114 and in fire issues,
by 2
Diana Cravsforth-Mitchins Collection,
Contents
[rhe Lindstmans of Ameterdam 1
Stophen Bemet snort
|verifieation Marks on a Seuth frien Avery
[vibrating Counter Scale
alsin Matias ssa
Iwoet vgsery
i Koh sussizo}
{canning the enewana Archive
Thetis Allies Kiva lan A11-4173
|s Letter and Coin Sate
Rein Kok
{ote Fporern Rett to Persooal Weighing)
vei ts
lotive Grating
26-131
=
mete
LE
&
-nleruationa Soe of Antique Seale Calton
"red Seer 16
SIU Ne Lakota, MARIS
Jus llth eo ops el pt
ISASC Europe
omit eater 283
cman Jota Knit
Pabletons oer. Dav app:
‘Seria Halor” Dian Grewia ei se
Atel sbsists ae prefered iz MS Wud with Tins New Remn Fon
Photo ne esi 3M DP peas i sepinae ike wa w maxima of 3 shows pos El
4106
The Lindermans of Amsterdam 1 sy sv saeverr
Tntrodue
‘Betiwcen about 170 and 1850, five veneratians af Lindermans lived and worked in Amsterdam, Uey mle
tnd supplied coin scales and weights, diamonel scales and sscights, ther equipment lor the diamond and jew-
Clry iad mud Inter, medicieul weit
gue 1. The Linderman Family Troe
[rarer ras |
TS
eka Linea
Figwe2. ¥' feeoeD | sete nano wilsha welhiwalisisaucdi= My interest in the Téadernuns beyan several
ices: pevetierictory
years ago quite by accident, We were at am
unk que show und sputte a stall wonden box in
fone of the desler’s showeases (Figure 2)
‘Wondering shat it might be, we asked the deal:
rf open it up, Te contained a diamond swale
and some carat weights. ‘The inside of the lid
had a brighlly colored Iuhol. The maker's name
‘on tho label yas “loannes Liréerman” from
‘Amsterdam. (Tiguee 3) Aer brief negotiation
‘with the dealer ie was ours to bring here:
We had whole Tist of questions, Who was
loannes Linderman? When was he in business
ang where?) Whit did he make? When did he
make this seals? There wns very Ht: informa
tion in EQM. QM 1992. Issue 3, pg 1606. in
in article on eoin weighs by Geory
1 picture ofa coin scale label by Jan Linderman
form Amsterdam. Kinch, page 139 Tig 93 has a
picture of a sexic that look "ke the ane thal
Fought, The caption is Tipical Dutch weight
and scale box for jewelers (carat sealey. We
ound some additional formation ands couple
fof other examples via a web search, The
‘Seater Collection has # Vindermum diamond
alls, has
4107
scale und the Boerhaave Museum in TTollasd has « Linderman coin seule nes eoin scale made by Jaca
Listing with to ws * of fun Linder-an,
-Atthe same time as we were doing the wel search, we sent an email to Diana Craseforih-Hitchins with a pic
lure of our diamond seale and asked ise hal any untormation about Townes Linderman, er response amd
subsequent emails eonatined a wealth of information and pihuss of two Seales (x diunnd seule aad a coin
sale} in he> collection that, trom the labels, were made by Jan Linderman und Johannes Linderman,
ively
Diana suggested asking Ritzo Holtman, the Flier of Mezen en Wegen, the publication oP tks Dutoh seale and
weight society. GMVY, to see i there were way articles about the Lindermans init, Ritao quickly responded
‘with information about the Linderman famiy and a ist oF roforenses ro them as well as copies uf two of the
references wir le thought would be amos use te m6, These articles sn writen im Darel, With the help
of on-line translators and printed dictionaries. what I remernher From my college German, Jaap Visser, who
explained some of the terminology whieh did mbt appear inthe dictionaries, and Dina who suggested alter
snalives to some lral uanstations chat made raoge sense, I was able lo mace uso of the itormatiom particu
larly wit: regerd to the family histo
Al this point, ee know that there were thn Johames Lindermans and when and where they were in busi-
ness, but we could nol determine which of them ade our seals. Sewcral factors complicated the aftibution,
Fest, as Dina said in one of che emits: The one thing that 100K ux a white ta wlerstand f thar the histore
of the Nethestonds is complicated. ‘They had 10 «we severat humguages avconting fo wha controlled them or
who they were 8
ding with, Hence the name Joke appcared as Jan. fan. dukannes, laonnes, or fohannes
The Findermans were verv iouse in thar wse of rhe vosious versions, Tn aekltion, thet labels didnot distin=
_guish between the fers hy using, for example, their middle intial or sho geneeation sullix to dissinguish the
sooond Johannes from his father. Finally, dieir working sddesses overlapped, so the address on the label
ght not provide eliable distinguishing mtormetion.
Diana encouruged us to continue the research and to waite this article, saying thal ne Linderman story is an
important wae that should he tal in FOM
My purpose in writing this series of articles is twotuld. F'n, provide information that a collector, whe bas a
scale with a Johannes (or one of the variants) Linderman label, can use te deternins: who made it and about
‘when, Ifthe scale does not have label, this information muy help 0 dstemnine if its of Dutch erigin, from
Amsterdam, and wo mide it and about when. The second purpase Isto share whl T have leumed about the
‘indeeman Saily and their lines of business, In addition wo the infomation that Diane aud Ritzo prided
| have been fortunate to acquire some sdditional scales unl other reference material to swe fr this article
1m 2009, as T bogan ths research, (asked Jue Lenprovitz i ho had a Linderman see in his collection of evin
sales, 1 sear him pictures of the First one that I bought and pielures of Diaus’s Linderman cain eels, He
sent me a deseription of 2 Linderman ecin svale from his celloctir. which provided me with another exam-
ple, Ths son, Jeff, provided the pictures to inlude it this article. Tn the lelier, Joe is comparing his with the
‘one that Diana hus.
ie tas he sore
foo fs fe te. Me
fas shapes go, Ml meee 28" XB" 1
fe she marks above the gh om youre tok mae ea
nen ay of mine have mane an Be Why ond sone ae pur. Da tes nae te fhe he
fre compermaent arse ta 0 hose newest, Mite ha ost nae fr freona weights sours ones?
of tuba are aur the uderne Pu ons hedesign von shore. Several of ae have
fo thom. The morkings onthe snes the wagher wand wo ine or cae soe fo
(9 ine center barnes ra The doar at cers the pave fo aa gata ep an ae ae
(ver iit oi@ good jo) aoa wooven ga tet goon Wend fake tk tle on eight me
410s
For comparison sake, 1 havo, in my collection, « diarnond seale made by Abrakun Grasergraf (1673-1745)
fram Amterdam, who was a cantemporaty of the first Johannes Linderman.
For the rest oP the anicle} refer to the smples af seals that have examine a fallow
Table - Desigaators for Bamaphes of Linderman Seales
hana ne Tar een
DI jamind sale - eke on labo: oannos Hndonmang utbe"s colleen
De [aera pal — kar ae Tan Vea ath election
DS [all mand lease om ov Loves Lindenni walo= seule
Da [pion ale — wake ov lh lan intone: Diana Grater Hitchine calston
Ds [iarond ale rake or les Abra Gerri waneenle
cr [wep cn ava, LM thd ava the Ly massa on ane weg aut oe
of ‘on ile maler on ee Johannes ern hors elles
ta ‘i es aker on TebaTokannee ndonnan; Diana Caen lichine caloion
ca FOR sae wai vis okay rua Ie Taner olor
There are many different ways to examine compacatively the characteristics of these scales. I've chosca to
‘work from the oulside lo the cer; slant by an examination of the boxes containing Ue sles and weights,
thea the scales and she weights, i finally, the beautiful labels, ‘Ihe Ines provide the starting point for con
veying the infrrmation that Hhave found about the makers themsely
The Boxes
“The bones were made eut ofa siagle block of |
wood, The comers were eut at a Rarly Sve
depree angle, (Fignre 4) presumably because it
vas Fashibnale, or to reduce being damaged a
to rmike it casier to slide the box in ar out af 2
pocket. In one box, the comers are squace
(Figure 5) Por shat scale the bos Tid ip the samme
size as the label. (Higure 6} Presumably, 19
raved asving to cul he label, they Tell the bins
carers square
Finns, 2A. on: Lot wt ingot cou.
109
Firs $300 Un
Sue ie cast
Table E Viney of Sele Boxee
Sa eae Eon Dep Sagem ner
Der Te © Ez] “Fagen
Be TE %a Tiwa
Da ST ye
Be ta gna
oy rey
Ts = Taga
7 co ‘hngoual
EE TE Ee ery
OT EE) Hagan
‘Wood Used
‘Most of the scale boxes ae ¥e
dark so its difficult to dently the wood, Iris a hardwood, with small yrain
which would be easy w carve cleanly for dhe beam and weight compartments. Either fuitwaed ar mahogany
‘would likely have been awed. IL xppears that the Lids were out fron the sume block of wood
ano
Decoration on lid
‘The ouside othe ll of the diamond scales con-
tins a carved design which is typical lar scales
‘nade in Amsterdam, (Figure 7) There re
vvrations ofthe design, aut na apparent comrala
tion with the maker. The gulsie of the Tid atthe
tein scales C-2 aud C-3 have thuce floral gat-
tems and small geamestic patterns within an
elaborately designed serall surrouncling. them,
al stamped in dhe Tid. (Figure 8} ‘The lie of the
Linderman coin svalt in the ISA8C collevtion
yas the same decoration on it. (Figure 9) AS Joc Rae 2% Lal of
gine 7 Undae of te La of Johaaaes
heue, 29 Li oft Lissa sin ss ee
Pe 10, 4 Lal wl Go slowins sider
Weel ed Aner ee
i ale C1 song te 0
observed in Ins letter, the lid oF C-4 has
two of the floral patiems and che
Amsterdam coat oF ast in the center
(Figure 10), ‘The goometsie pattems ete
algo, stamped on the inside of the box 0°
all of the coin seulss thal we have sven
‘These remit me of the pattems on
English eoin geale boxes sinnetimes
referred fo as "book binscr’s stamps" on
seals because he patterns ate similar to
‘those impressed on the leather cover smd
spine af books.
Tooks (number and design)
‘The Fis are fastened to the hase with
BB wire hinges and held closed wita one or
Ineo hooks, The asks are in the shape
of a tortoise or other stylized reptile
(Figure 11) In ane case, just an arching
hook is used. (Figure 12
‘The design of the hooks could be a dis:
Cinguishing feature. As depieted in the
Osiaher 2007, iesus of Das Fenster
(Reference 1), page 17, 1.4. Cohumnes
Ades) Grovngraft of Amsterdam
(Abrham’s father) used the dolphin
shape hook on a scale he made im 170.
(Figure 13)
Figue 11, Lib aban Genera dnd
fais § with the nice Aled ule
laterial Lining the case
The carved out sections athe boxes for
holding the beam and pans ats Linod with
\liferent kinds of matecial peobubly (rom
soraps that dhe maker hid on hand,
Absa Groengraft used red velvet lor
hnis scale. (Figure 14) For D-l
Lindernun used! a heavy brocade type
material, probably sill, with yelhwe dae
‘mond paviers Vining, (Figure 15) er D>
2 he used a beige and brown Newer pate
gure 5. A Yon reed igo Links Ud ee D1
ani
Fig 2, <8 Supe ach eda
gue 44 Ovlghin bow ha of AF Croco
Tigne te 79 Kod vue dg of Abner
termed cloth, possibly fiom & piece of
‘wall covering (Figure 16) and for D-S he
used heige und Mue patterned eavy
‘weight cloth, probably sik. (Figure 17)
The lining for Del appasr to 2c bine
Taper or a light weight blue cloth
(igure 18) The lage enin seals C2 is
fined widh dark brown or gray velvet
(Figure 19) C4 is tined wih a be fab=
fic. [Figure 20) The ISASC Linderman
avn scale has pale grcea velvet material
(igace 21)
rea A ke five Lig of Lisa sae Co
uec21, 4 hse lo ay ede in sl in fe TSASE clit,
Concluing Remark
Nottung about ho cases, tho hook othe Fs lps with dking me atbting tn Lindeman seat. Sabet pas i
‘mise wl conve the examination of other ees, ih th Sil bstery asthe to lp toni ech ile
time pid ane maker
Notes nd References:
|. Severl years ug, J came sees an auction sob ene of th ek wan pal seve ad he tp sn inxs
HINDViEAN, Like diamonds. pearls ars ale by sive diameter al by weigh
2. Fete the pte lis of ele wth D2
55 Eatmare based on ite silty a 2,
44 Vl re Jp Visor Jel 24, 2000
5. Bus Feesior nee Kreieponissen Kola Theme 171 Oetober 2007,
Acknowledgement
Ar his ims, Toul ikem acranedve he sentoutons of Several people to the acess ois st antics his
ur oF tho aie. Thins Cris fonh Ihishine on Rize Lloltmse provided the inspiration and fol uf info nb he
Tindorian fant o got me stark he amore enthisten shared the information aus his ele ith mesic lane
ths projec Hope“ he nal have been pss tht ek and wth hae We la ed about Ge nea ais rie
altos Note:
‘Thin ists ist part fan estensise ome em te eo an amon saes made by the ull fa ily Tieran “The autor is
Intrete in anions Uhl ay mernher may ve to swt ts of knoe hifi Ut edn, Aol pis
of histo wil appar wang ones ot LOSE
auld
