Featured Painted Frisian Hindeloopen peat box

Even before I read your mention of Norwegian Rosemaling, that's what your peat box reminded me of. I love it!

 

Thanks, EL. I have a feeling that could correpond with the age of the box, maybe a little later, Biedermeier, but for now I play it safe and just call it antique.

The seller thought it was a 1920s magazine rack. The shape is classic of 18th-19th century peat boxes, but he clearly didn't know.

 

It was the actual fuel for the fire. Probably not very healthy, but not much was in those days.
Close to Friesland, and even in part of Friesland, were important peat fields. Because Friesland was on the coast, it became the province where peat was shipped to Holland and other parts of Europe.

The peat trade hub was the Friesian capital Leeuwarden, where taxes were levied before distribution to Holland etc. One of my ancestors was 'peatmaster', head peat tax collector, in Leeuwarden in the 18th century.
Maybe not the most popular profession, but I did think it nice that an affordable and good quality Hindeloopen antique turned out to have a Frisian peat connection.

 

I wallpapered every room in my house too....................40 years ago!

It's MY style..........I don't care if it's not considered fashionable today..........the only room not papered is the kitchen. It was paneled with a very light wood, when I came here. It's very easy to take care of, and I have a lot more to look at.....antique clock, rosemaling, RC/BC blue/white plates, etc. The light wood background is perfect for showing them off.

Wall paper hides a lot in old houses with old walls....................

My daughter, on the other hand, lives in a "new" house (15 years old).........every wall is painted.............

 

Thanks judy, it does look related, although rosemaling uses livelier colours, also bright orange, which Hindeloopers wouldn't use. But there is probably a link between the two.

 

From what I see in interior decorating programs overhere, it is back in fashion. And also wallpaper feature walls, with one wall in a very lavish design. So go for it!

 

It could have been, although feather painting usually has larger areas of decoration and often a sweeping look, like you get on Swedish 'kurbits' furniture.

 

I want a peat box now!!!

 

It was once again very enlightening. Thank you AJ.

 

We should all have peat boxes. And Hindeloopen anything. Assendelft too.

 

Peat, or "turf", is still cut and burned in Ireland, although there are efforts to restrict the practice in order to preserve the wetland bogs. It is traditionally cut with a rectangular spade that makes neat blocks which are stacked and dried before use, much like firewood. It smells wonderful when burning.

https://www.askaboutireland.ie/lear...places/offaly/aspects-of-offaly/cutting-turf/

https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2022/0426/1206028-bogs-turf-cutting-culture-climate-change-ireland/

 

Also in Scotland.
Here in the Netherlands it was still used until ca 1950. Now peat is only used for potting soil. We also call it turf.

 

It sure beat cutting trees up, and you had to do something for heat. Some folks burn dried animal poop to this day. Burning peat sounds a lot more appealing.