…;{An alternative early provenance scenario might involve the Beelaerts family, which produced several regents in Dordrecht during the 17th and 18th centuries and is believed to be connected to the Delft Van Bleiswijck family (from which the prayer nut inv.no. BK-1981-1 originates), with thanks to M.G. Beelaerts van Blokland, Amsterdam for this suggestion, written communication 25 September 2010: **alternative provenance** …; ? Pieter Beelaerts (1639-1691), burgomaster of Dordrecht; ? his son Gerard Beelaerts (1673-1718), captain at sea, Admiraliteit op de Maze; ? his son Gerard Beelaerts van Blokland (1710-1790), burgomaster of Dordrecht; ? his son Pieter Beelaerts van Blokland (1744-1812), regent in Dordrecht; ? his son Gerard Beelaerts van Blokland (1772-1844), minister of State; ? Frans Willem Anne Beelaerts van Blokland (1810-1886); ? his son Gerard Jacob Theodoor Beelaerts van Blokland (1843-1897), Speaker of the Dutch House of Representatives; ? his son Gerard Jacob Theodoor Beelaerts van Blokland (1843-1897), country house De Hemelsche Berg, Oosterbeek, 1885-1923, etc.} ? Nicolaas Cornelis de Gijselaar (1792-1873), Leiden;{F. Scholten, ‘‘A Prayer Nut in a Silver Housing by ‘Adam Dirckz’’’, _The Rijksmuseum Bulletin_ 59 (2011) no. 4, pp. 322-47, esp. pp. 325-26.} ? donated to his stepson, the writer Johannes Kneppelhout (1814-1885), known under the _nom de plume_ Klikspaan, country house De Hemelsche Berg, Oosterbeek, before 1885;{Ibid. Kneppelhout became De Gijselaar’s stepson in 1818, after the death of Kneppelhout senior.} ? with the house, to his niece Johanna Maria Kneppelhout (1851-1923) and her husband Gerard Jacob Theodoor Beelaerts van Blokland (1843-1897), Oosterbeek, 1885; with the house, to their son Jonkheer Johannes Beelaerts van Blokland (1877-1960) and his wife Jeannette Wernarda Louise de Girard de Mielet van Coehoorn (1887-1958), Oosterbeek, 1923;{Country house De Hemelsche Berg was destroyed by the Germans in 1944. The prayer nut, along with some other valuable items and the family silver, was safely secured in time and thus survived the Battle of Arnhem. With thanks to M.G. Beelaerts van Blokland, written communication 28 September 2010.} to their son Jan Jacob Gerard Beelaerts van Blokland (1909-2005), 1960;{He was a well-known Engelandvaarder and resistance hero. He and his wife had four children, in chronological order: Jonkheer J.M. Beelaerts van Blokland, Jonkheer K.A.C.O. Beelaerts van Blokland, Jonkheer M.G. Beelaerts van Blokland, and Jonkheer W.W.A. Beelaerts van Blokland.} from his heirs, €80,000, to the museum, with support of the Rijksmuseum Fonds/Ebus Fonds,{With thanks to John Schlichte Bergen for his mediation during the acquisition.} 2010
Bibliography and list of abbreviations for the provenance (pdf)
