Model of a Pontoon Bridge

anonymous, 1821

Model van een vlotbrug met twee pontons, waarin twee verschillende ontwerpen worden getoond. De brug wordt geopend door de pontons naar iedere kant onder de oprijkleppen te trekken. Aan de ene zijde wordt de klep daarvoor omhoog getild door middel van hefbomen, aan de andere zijde met kettingen en kaapstanders.

  • Artwork typedemonstration model
  • Object numberNG-MC-1074
  • Dimensionsheight 27 cm x width 239.5 cm x depth 37 cm
  • Physical characteristicswood, brass and rope

anonymous

Model of a Pontoon Bridge

Netherlands, Netherlands, 1821

Conservation

  • P. Borst, 1976: restored

Provenance

...; transferred from the Ministerie van Marine (Department of the Navy), The Hague, to the museum, 1883

Object number: NG-MC-1074

Entry

Model of a pontoon bridge with two pontoons, incorporating two slightly different designs. The bridge can be opened by pulling back the pontoons underneath the gangways at either side. On one side, the gangway is raised with a system of levers, on the other side, with chains and capstans.

The design with the lever system was used for the pontoon bridges of the Noordhollandsch Kanaal (Amsterdam-Den Helder), which was dug from 1820 to 1824. The other system was designed to meet different water levels in the canal. The contracts for the pontoon bridges specified that a scale model had to be made for each bridge.

Literature

J.M. Obreen et al., handwritten inventory list for items 944 to 1431, 1884, manuscript in HNA 476 RMA, inv. no. 1089, no. 1074; R.M. Haubourdin et al., De physique existentie dezes lands. Jan Blanken, inspecteur-generaal van de waterstaat (1755-1838), exh. cat. Amsterdam (Rijksmuseum) 1987, p. 139, nos. 144-146

Citation

J. van der Vliet, 2016, 'anonymous, Model of a Pontoon Bridge, Netherlands, 1821', in J. van der Vliet and A. Lemmers (eds.), Navy Models in the Rijksmuseum, online coll. cat. Amsterdam: https://data.rijksmuseum.nl/20054092

(accessed 12 December 2025 12:02:00).