Silver bible

A seventeenth-century edition of the New Testament in a binding of openwork, gilded silver over green velvet. Only a handful of these bindings dating from the second half of this century are known worldwide. The binding is exceptionally well preserved and richly decorated with floral motifs and a crowned mirror monogram. This Bible once belonged to Anna Elisabeth van der Capellen tot den Pol, daughter of the well-known patriot Joan Derk van der Capellen tot den Pol. He was the author of the pamphlet Aan het Volk van Nederland ('To the People of the Netherlands') from 1781, which was a turning point in Dutch history.

Thanks to the generous support of the Gerard Leeu Fonds and a private donor.