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 SMP Silver Salon Forums
 Continental / International Silver
 Kaplak - hatmoney
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| Author | Topic: Kaplak - hatmoney |
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Hose_dk Posts: 400 |
posted 03-24-2009 05:10 PM
  
[07-0658] Hat-money - in danish "tøj til en hue". With those words ships agent in the Baltic sea ports rewarded the ships captain. Yes what was it? Literature is limited does anyone know the story? We start by showing Robert Kleyenstüber mark. He was a ships makler in Königsberg. Around 1858/1859 - I know because..... These 3 spoons are made by Ernst Ludwig Kecker, born approx. 1813/1819, active in Königsberg since before 1848 dead 1886 And we know because Mark from one of the spoons. One spoon with year mark R and two spoons with Q as year mark. 12 for silver purity. And city mark for Königsberg also containing the 12 mark. I know that these spoons are "Captains spoons" as they all 3 have the same inscription. I bought 2 a few years ago - the third one came into my possession last year in November. Funny that I should find a third one - It came via a different source. But I knew the story so I acted. Forum members - I know a bit, does anyone know more. Please comment. IP: Logged |
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Dale Posts: 2132 |
posted 03-24-2009 11:34 PM
Interesting practice. What do the inscriptions say? This could have been a method of rewarding captains for safe passage. Or for using the shipping agency, which in the US we are more likely to call a shipping broker, the Swedish word would be 'mäklare'. The online Danish/English dictionaries could not find a Danish word for broker. It is somewhat common for shipping brokers to have a reputation for Bribeing ship captains. The captain might not own the ship, be just an employee. So a little something that could fit into a hat might be used to make him look the other way when unpaid freight was loaded. Somewhere I have read that sailors used their hats for smuggling. Probably in a novel, where the captain brought home a pearl necklace hidden in his hat. Anyone else read this sort of thing? IP: Logged |
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Hose_dk Posts: 400 |
posted 03-25-2009 01:18 AM
I shall remember removing the link. I did not know that it worked that way. Thanks. The danish word is "skibsmægler" or "agent" and the owner of vessel is "reder" could also be "skibsreder" I have heard 2 versions the one including commission for an employe is from Nils Nilsson "Skepparns hatt" in Kulturen : en årsbok till medlemmarna av Kulturhistoriska föreningen för södra Sverige. 1965 In the danish sø-lov it is stated that the captain should include his kaplak to the reder. The inscription in 3 lines
Schiffs MäKler Königsberg" It is the same on all 3 spoons. One is more worn out the 2 that I bought from 1858 and 1859 is less used. But we can see that they were given in 2 different years. Q & R year letter. I am sure the smuggler history is from a book. Hatmoney it is not. I have 2 more spoons from Königsberg. They were sold at an auction in Sweden. described as "...properly captains spoons..." I asked why properly? They came from a large collection the Swedish collector had written properly... The article I refer to have picture of 4 different. One without inscription. As the article is from a scientific magazine some support must be - provi. IP: Logged |
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FWG Posts: 845 |
posted 03-25-2009 09:30 AM
The inscription is of course in German, and thus Schiffs makler rather than the Danish skibsmaegler. It's possible the spoons were originally bought together, with the different date letters reflecting their original manufacture and assaying rather than separate purchases or gifts - that is to say, they could have sat around in the shop for a time before being bought all at once, even though made in different lots. And I'm not certain that they must be presentations of that sort. Perhaps they were just the table silver of Mr. Kleyenstüber, and he - or his wife - was proud of his job. Or perhaps given to him on promotion to that job. There are many possible explanations; perhaps local research cold turn up information. I am about as often surprised by what can be turned up on a person in the past as by what cannot be found.... -- Frederic IP: Logged |
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Hose_dk Posts: 400 |
posted 03-25-2009 12:09 PM
Interesting theory - one should keep an open mind. They have come from Königsberg and don't know how. The 2 are 24,8cm and 44 gram - year R and Q I have 2 spoons from Königsberg Marks from 2 different makers Y=1841 and B=1844. Both spoons have been bought in Sweden - and they are the "properly captains spoons" The spoons are 21,5 cm and 34 gram & 23,0cm and 36 gram so they don't really fit. Both however have owners initials ACB - so they are from same household. I have search the spoons for trace of older engraving and on one of two spoons remains from engraving is visible. Now this supports the theory - that they were a gift and name removed. Don't know if it is visible. I will post more photos of this. IP: Logged |
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agphile Posts: 798 |
posted 03-25-2009 01:36 PM
An interesting group of spoons. I suppose that Kleyenstuber the ship-broker might have treated Captains and clients to tea or coffee at his office which would account for the spoons being inscribed with his business as well as his name. However, his spoons remind me of advertising gifts: partly a thank you for business done, but also a reminder to come again and a way of bringing your business to the attention of others if the recipients then use the spoons when entertaining. So, if the spoons were a form of “hat money”, Herr Kleyenstuber had a bright idea for squeezing added value from the gifts. Without provenance one cannot be certain regarding your other Konigsberg spoons. I don’t recall seeing other examples of 19th century silver with business inscriptions except in the case of hotels, restaurants, clubs and the like. IP: Logged |
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Hose_dk Posts: 400 |
posted 03-25-2009 02:07 PM
You are absolutely right - this is pure speculation. Spoons used for occasions from birth to death - over birthday, marriage, silver vedding etc. IP: Logged |
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tmockait Posts: 963 |
posted 03-25-2009 10:13 PM
I am not familiar with the term hat money, but it sounds very similar to a practice in Chicago. You may have heard we have a bit of a problem with corruption (in the same way Atilla the Hun had anger management issues). Building inspectors were said to inspect with their hat held upright behind them so the contractor could drop in a bribe. Tom IP: Logged |
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Hose_dk Posts: 400 |
posted 03-26-2009 01:45 AM
sazikov wrote posted 03-25-2009 06:28 PM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RE captains spoon In the Baltic countries ship brokers joined since 1770 until 1880 the in the Baltic Sea area circulating custom to give the captains of the small transport ships which sailed from the province Groningen along the Dutch-German-Danish shore belt to all harbours of the Baltic Sea (Ostsee) as relationsgift silver spoons (Schifferpatentlöffel) as presents. Most of the ca. 22cm long spoons were signed with the name of the trading-house and the place and year of the donation. They came with and without punched town-and master marks of the silversmith. In Groningen where most of this spoons came originally together, there called "Ostzeelepels" or "Kapiteinslepel", were stored in the captain´s house in the linen cupboard or exhibited on its visible backside. Unfortunately this spoons are widely scattered today. In the last 40 years spoons from Libau, Riga, Mitau, Reval and Narwa showed up in the Netherlands. There are fine collections of captains spoons in public and private collections in Denmark, spoons with town-and master marks from Riga, Libau, Pernau and Reval are known. A big part of the spoons in Denmark are from Danzig, Königsberg, Pilau and Stettin. This spoons have nothing to do with corruption, bribing etc.!! If you look for more information: IP: Logged |
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Hose_dk Posts: 400 |
posted 03-28-2009 09:36 AM
 I have only been able to find skipperskeer in the 1969 yearbook. In the 1961 yearbook I have not found anything and I still await the third reference. Pictures show. Skipperskeer also called Reval or Königsbergspoons. Given in the 1800dreds. At picture two - who gave the spoons to the museum. Picture 1 From German or Russian ports. Kleyenstüber - here he is again. Ernst Castell Königsberg 1861 and Mayer & Company Reval 1855. IP: Logged |
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Hose_dk Posts: 400 |
posted 09-29-2009 03:22 PM
 So another spoon for my collection this time from Riga 1844 company G. W. Schröder & Co 1844 Spoon made of Christoph Barthold Knuth active between 1834 and 1864. Fantastic info in the last 3 pages of this article - same maker and company giving - 3 copy on museums in the Netherlands. (2.5meg PDF file) IP: Logged |
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agphile Posts: 798 |
posted 09-29-2009 04:58 PM
Thanks for sharing the spoon and the very interesting article. IP: Logged |
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Hose_dk Posts: 400 |
posted 11-12-2009 12:09 PM
 I have bought another spoon from Kleuenstüber. (no 4) Unfortunately it never arrived. Someone stole it during transport. So I have used sellers pictures. Shame on the thief. Mark the engraving "R. Kleuenstüber and Co" it might be cannot see clealy. Engraving different from the others. I might have been fun to research whether it is newer than mine or older. Kecker is maker (same) for some reason Schiffsmäkler" and Königsberg is not there. Engraving also at back of spoon (more discrete) compared to front page. But as I never received the spoon - research possibilities are limited. IP: Logged |
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agphile Posts: 798 |
posted 11-12-2009 12:26 PM
Very sorry to learn that the spoon went missing. As you say, a shame not to be able to compare and research further. IP: Logged |
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Hose_dk Posts: 400 |
posted 12-29-2009 03:18 AM
My Kleyenstüber spoon has arrived. Traveled from USA to Europe to my country and my hometown - could not be placed so it returned all the way back to USA. Send to me again and arrived safely before Christmas. Being originally from Königsberg - it must be one of the "traveling spoons" Merry Christmas to everyone. IP: Logged |
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