The wooden handle of this antique wax seal has a beautiful, very much aged and handled, patine
and the design of the escutcheon is of the 16th - 17th Century,
showing the Hollandse Leeuw, the name Dordt and the initials G. V.
Dordt is the name used for what is now called Dordrecht,
the oldest city of Holland. Historical also named:
Thuredrech, Thuredriht, Thuredrecht, Durthric and Durdrecht
on this print 2 seals used for Dordrecht Holland
The lion as on this seal, only rampant, without arrows and sword, was used by the Counts of Holland
The archivist of the Regionaal Archief Dordrecht could not help me with this seal.
I started thinking of a seal of an official institute and searched around
De Munt (the Mint), but that had it's own and different seal
and then a search on
the Latijnse School (Latin School) in Dordrecht.
Rector of the Latin School (1600-1615) was a G.V., the famous
Gerardus Vossius / Gerhardus Johannes Vossius (1577-1649)
but, according to the archivist, Vossius probably would not have used the name Dordt.
I found another G.V. in Dordrecht:
Gillis Verhulst / v.d. Hulck (1574?-1648)
he was user of the mill / molen De Volmolen (1631-1644) and
owner of the mill / molen Het Varken (the pig), built in 1644.
His professions are documented as textile trader and worker, in Dutch:
Sydelaken handelaar, Zijdewerker, Sydewerker, Volder, Lakenhandelaar and Lakenbereider
Of course Gillis Verhulst was not the only miller in Dordrecht and with Gerardus Vossius not the only person in Dordt with the initials G.V.........
All help is welcome!
