English Reformed Church, Amsterdam

When the Amsterdam Historical Museum created an exhibit to honour the 400 years of our congregation they borrowed bibles, organ pipes and other historical pieces from the church. However part of the exhibition came from the Rijksmuseum.

This came about because in the 1970s the Consistory had come to the conclusion that a number of important (and valuable items) gifted for the use of the congregation in 1771 should no longer be kept in the church. Instead they were given on loan to the Rijksmuseum and for many years were on display as part of that museum's silver collection. During the restoration of the Rijksmuseum on the Museumplein they were put into storage.

At our request the various pieces, silver bowls, plates and collection boxes, were taken out of storage in 2006 and became the centre piece of the '400 years' exhibition in the Amsterdam Historical Museum (AHM).

The position of the exhibition in the display area meant that the silver, other pieces of interest from the church, and a short video created by museum staff, were seen by hundreds of thousands of visitors during the year.

When the temporary display in the AHM was dismantled the Consistory and the staff of the museum discussed what could be done with the silver collection. It could go back into storage and then perhaps be put on display at the Rijksmuseum again.
However the Consistory was delighted when the AHM offered to take over the loan. The items are now on permanent display in the area dedicated to the churches of Amsterdam. (seen here with our minister, together with Sjoukje Gerritse, a curator from the AHM and Jolmer Gerritse).

The location of the Museum next to the Begijnhof means that it can now be seen by visitors who have visited the church; and visitors who go first to the Museum also have a reason visit our building.

The Silver
Under the direction of the banker John Hope (1737-1784) eighteen well-to-do members of the congregation collected money for a commission to the famous silversmith Johannes Schiotling (1730-1799).

The Commission was for one large and two smaller bread plates (left), two collection boxes (below) and a baptism font (not shown).

The inscriptions on the bottom commemorate the first time they were used:

'For the use of the communion table of the English established Church in Amsterdam forever. December 29th AD 1771.'

The font was used for the first time on 26 January 1772 when the son of one of the benefactors was baptized.

Schiotling was asked to make the collection boxes completely out of silver. He thought it was more appropriate, however, to give them a more modest finish.

Related topics: history - begijnhof - 400 years ERC

External links:

Amsterdams Historisch Museum (Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 357, 1012 RM Amsterdam).

17-07-2009