Otterloo / Otterlo

Noted in Drake (2002) as a baptismal font of the "Bentheim School, Group A2, modified cylinder", a group in which this author includes the fonts at Bersenbrück, Büttel, Emsbüren, Enschede, Epe, Ermelo, Gimpte, Herzlake, Holtland, Ochtrup, Ostönnen, Otterloo, Ueffeln. Included in Steensma (2007) as one of seven fonts preserved in the Netherlands, the basin of which is decorated with a row of round arches, fonts in or from Enschede, Ermelo-I, Ermelo-II, Heveskes, Ommen, Otterlo and Norg-I. The font from Otterlo has four rope mouldings, two below and two above the row of arch-heads. The current location is given as Huis Bergh, in ’s-Heerenberg. Pol Herman has supplied related information [some in English translation] in an e-mail of 28 November 2021 to BSI: 1)Weekblad Buiten, 9th of October 1920, K.L. Schamp complains about the trade in old baptismal fonts : "The value of such antiquities can be deduced from the fact that an important fragment was sold in Roggel in Limburg for 10 guilders and the baptismal font from the Reformed Church in Otterloo near Lunteren was "cleared up" for 30 cents. An antique dealer in Dordrecht had a collection of baptismal fonts for sale for a pittance.They were made of sandstone or hardstone, on four animal feet, with heads at the top, and can safely be counted to the eleventh century." 2)Geological Survey of Belgium Professional, Paper 2014/1 N. 316: 40-56. De brugbeelden en tuinsculpturen van kasteel Amerongen, Materiaal , historie , conditie en conservering by C. Wim DUBELAAR, Hendrik-Jan TOLBOOM, Nicolas VERHULST & Lodewijk GERRETSEN. A few examples of collections of historical outdoor sculptures elsewhere in the Netherlands are briefly reviewed here.... House Bergh in ’s-Heerenberg . For example, there is now a Romanesque baptismal font on the lawn in front of the castle, which Van Heek found in a meadow in Otterlo, where it served as a drinking trough for the cattle. Reference : M. Boom and P. Bresser (eds.), 2021,Het oude kasteel herleefde, Jan Herman van Heek en Huis Bergh 1912-2012, ’s-Heerenberg, p. 55. 3)Kunst, katoen en kastelen : J.H. van Heek (1873-1957), thesis university of Amsterdam, Nijhof, W., pag 154. Romanesque font, for an apple and an egg. Since 1916, a baptismal font from the Reformed Church in Otterlo has been placed on the forecourt of Huis Bergh, in front of the landing. When the church council of the Veluwe village found the font was standing in the way, it was hardly used, it was given a place in the garden of a churchwarden. No one in the village had any idea of the value of the gray stone trough. Jan van Heek, second lieutenant in the Voluntary Landstorm on exercise in the Harskamp, discovered the font during a march across the Veluwe. In the evening he cycled back to have a better look at the basin. His trained eye immediately saw that it was a Romanesque font. The farmer was willing to sell, for an apple and egg Jan became the new owner. Reference : Archive Reformed Municipality Otterlo. The church council meetings over the period 1914-1917 did not discuss the sale of the baptismal font to J.H. van Heek. 4)Kunst, katoen en kastelen : J.H. van Heek (1873-1957), thesis university of Amsterdam, Nijhof, W., pag 154. Romanesque font, for an apple and an egg. Since 1916, a baptismal font from the Reformed Church in Otterlo has been placed on the forecourt of Huis Bergh, in front of the landing. When the church council of the Veluwe village found the font was standing in the way, it was hardly used, it was given a place in the garden of a churchwarden. No one in the village had any idea of the value of the gray stone trough. Jan van Heek, second lieutenant in the Voluntary Landstorm on exercise in the Harskamp, discovered the font during a march across the Veluwe. In the evening he cycled back to have a better look at the basin. His trained eye immediately saw that it was a Romanesque font. The farmer was willing to sell, for an apple and egg Jan became the new owner. Reference : Archive Reformed Municipality Otterlo. The church council meetings over the period 1914-1917 did not discuss the sale of the baptismal font to J.H. van Heek. 5)Schönlank-van der Wal, M., "Middeleeuwse stenen doopvonten in Gelderland". In: Bulletin Stichting Oude Gelderse Kerken [ISSN 1386.6427], 2001-najaarsnummer (jrg 27), blz. 3-17. Page 8, 14 : dating font: XIIIA. Repository since about 1961: ('s-) Heerenberg - Slot Bergh. 6)Collectie Gelderland : Otterlo baptismal font that now stands on the platform of the castle Bergh, Gazenbeek, Jac. / Boschlaan 19, Lunteren In front of the platform of Bergh Castle in 's Heerenberg is an old baptismal font that comes from Otterlo. https://www.collectiegelderland.nl/historischmuseumede/object/948e98eb-9af0-1429-7d89-ee26175534e6 Other texts in local papers : 7)New heating and old stones in Otterlo . The stone baptismal font also seems very old. Van den Brink: “The church had an old stone baptismal font, but it was sold around 1915 and is now located in Huize Bergh in 's-Heerenberg. After a different baptismal font was used for a while, it was decided during the last restoration to have a reproduction of the old font made. That is what happened. 8)Oud Otterlo, Geschiedenis van het dorp Otterlo. For many years there was a very old Romanesque baptismal font in front of the church. That baptismal font is still standing in the forecourt of Huize Bergh near 's Heerenberg. (Photo: Jac Gazenbeek). It turned out that it was bought at the beginning of the twentieth century, for a pittance, by the textile magnate Jan Herman van Heek. People mainly came to hunt in the wooded area of Otterlo. 9)Oud Otterlo, Jannis 'Jas' Beumer (12-02-1915 –25-08-2003) In the garden of the Beumer family in 1910, on the left is Geertrui van Ee, sitting on the edge of the baptismal font Corrie Poelman, sitting on the floor Jo van Maurik. An unknown person on the right. This baptismal font is very old and inexplicably ended up in the garden of churchwarden Beumer. Baron van Heek (Huize Bergh in 's Heerenberg) bought it for next to nothing and it is still standing in the front yard of Huize Bergh 10)60 jaar Otterlo’s belang. We would also like to pay attention to the Romanesque baptismal font that once decorated the church. Probably because of what seemed Roman Catholic-like decoration depicted on it, the font was removed and buried further down the road to serve as a drinking trough for the cows. Later the baptismal font came into the possession of Evert Jan Beumer, who turned it into a beautiful flower box. There the antique pbject was noticed by an officer who was stationed in Harskamp. This antiquarian immediately saw the historical value and, after some negotiation, became the new owner. The ancient baptismal font now adorns Huize Bergh in 's Heerenberg, where it can still be admired. 11)Oud doopvont. A well-known story is that the old baptismal font of the Reformed Church in Otterlo is located in the garden of Huize Bergh in 's-Heerenberg. In 1915 it was sold. A copy was made during the restoration of the church in 1973 and it has been used ever since. It is made of stone and it was always heavy to move. Until about ten years ago, wheels were put under it. I recently visited Gerard Gommans at Feenstraweg 1. The door of the room was open, but because the house is not that big, it didn't bother me. Gerard asked if Janny had ever shown me the baptismal dish. I didn't know what he meant, but when he closed the door, I saw a baptismal font in the corner. A wooden holder with a pewter bowl. Their son John is still baptized there. His father-in-law, Elder Evert Burgers, had taken over the baptismal font from the church after the restoration, so it is now in Gerard's room. It was a surprise to me. The baptismal font fitted very well with the interior of our church and is of course very easy to move. It's good to know where it ended up. It served between 1915 and 1973.