Featured Decorative Dutch? tin w Agricultural Society medallion

Discussion in 'Antique Discussion' started by AshleysBazaar, Aug 23, 2024.

  1. AshleysBazaar

    AshleysBazaar Member

    I'm curious to see if anyone here might recognize this tin I recently purchased. It's a decorative tin with a Dutch landscape scene on the lid. Inside the lid there is a pale green medallion under glass with a relief of a woman holding a sheaf of wheat, standing near a sheep & cow. I assume she is meant to be Demeter or Ceres.
    The raised lettering was very difficult to make out as the glass is dirty but after some time with a jeweler's glass I read I H Schepp F / Societ. Agric. Amstel. / MDCCLXXVI
    Is anyone familiar with this logo or the names? Any ideas what the "medallion" may be made of? Age or origin of the tin? If you recognize anything I would very much appreciate any info you can share! tin.jpg
    No other writing on the tin itself, and no discernible odor.
    tin2.PNG tin3.JPG
     
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  2. komokwa

    komokwa The Truth is out there...!

  3. Roaring20s

    Roaring20s Well-Known Member

  4. AshleysBazaar

    AshleysBazaar Member

    That is great, thanks! I tried googling different combinations of the words and translating into different languages, but I couldn't get anywhere - Lens didn't pull anything when I searched the medallion photo, either. I appreciate your superior search skills! :)
     
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  5. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    The "Maatschappij ter bevordering van landbouw te Amsterdam", Society for Promotion of Agriculture in Amsterdam, was founded in 1776 to find solutions for agricultural problems. The best ideas were awarded with a gold medallion. The winners could also opt for a silver medallion and a sum of money. The one on the museum site is such a silver medallion.
    https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maatschappij_ter_Bevordering_van_de_Landbouw

    I don't know its connection with your biscuit tin, but the tin could have been a promotional gift.

    The society was dissolved in 1847, so your time frame could be 1776-1847. I don't know when such tins became fashionable, I would guess towards the end of the time frame, but maybe someone else can help you with that.
     
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  6. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

    The engraver was Johann Heinrich Schepp (the F is for fecit, Latin for 'he made [it]). The list of his award & commemorative medals is extensive.

    I would quarrel a bit with the museum's description of the figure, who would readily be seen as the goddess Ceres with a laurel wreath. However, Ceres is not traditionally shown bare breasted. This is an indicator of youth; Hebe, daughter of Zeus is typically portrayed unclothed on her upper body. With Ceres in mind, I think Schepp created an allegorical figure of agriculture, who is holding a wreath of flowers, another of earth's bounties. It's a lovely piece.
     
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  7. AshleysBazaar

    AshleysBazaar Member

    I found the Wiki article, thanks - just curious now what the tin was for (I don't think it's a biscuit tin, just based on the small size) and what the green material might be. At least there is a fairly narrow window to date it.

    As far as the goddess, I don't think that really matters in this context - much more interested in who made the tin as opposed to debating the artist's interpretation of a mythological figure :-D
     
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  8. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    How big is it, did you say?
    We like to look at something from different angles, so to speak. Every detail can be a lead.
     
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  9. AshleysBazaar

    AshleysBazaar Member

    Sorry, don't think I listed measurements! It's approx. 6"x4"x1"
     
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  10. Any Jewelry

    Any Jewelry Well-Known Member

    It probably held sweets.
    We used to get small tins with 'Haagse hopjes' and 'Zeeuwse boterbabbelaars', from The Hague and Zeeland respectively. I don't know the Amsterdam equivalent, but I'm sure they had one.
     
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