Dutch New York, between East and West: The World of Margrieta van Varick (Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design & Culture) [Hardcover]

Deborah L. Krohn (Author), Marybeth De Filippis (Author), Peter Miller (Author)

Book Description

Series: Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design & Culture | Publication Date: November 17, 2009

Commemorating the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson’s voyage and the lasting legacy of Dutch culture in New York, this book explores the life and times of a fascinating woman, her family, and her things. Margrieta was born in the Netherlands but lived at the extremes of the Dutch colonial world, in Malacca on the Malay Peninsula and in Flatbush, Brooklyn. When she came to New York in 1686 with her husband and set up a shop, she brought an astonishing array of Eastern goods, many of which were documented in an inventory made after her death in 1695. Extensive archival research has enabled a collaborative team to reconstruct her story and establish the depth of her connection to Dutch trading establishments in Asia. This is a groundbreaking contribution to the histories of New York City, the Dutch overseas empire, women, and material culture.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Deborah Krohn is coordinator for History and Theory of Museums at the Bard Graduate Center, where Peter N. Miller is Dean and Chair of Academic Programs; Marybeth De Filippis is Assistant Curator for American Art at the New-York Historical Society.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: Yale University Press; First Edition edition (November 17, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0300154674
• ISBN-13: 978-0300154672
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,422,213 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars surprisingly good...like reading a mystery, August 7, 2011

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sykch (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Dutch New York, between East and West: The World of Margrieta van Varick (Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, Design & Culture) (Hardcover)

well written history of the Dutch in the East Indies and in the east coast of the US...fascinating facts, eg, in the 1600s about 20-30% of Dutch men were at sea...Dutch wives were prompted to make lives of their own at home and became trades people; they even bought and sold maritime stocks...many Dutch families who had intended to temporarily live in S. East Asia in the Dutch colonies, actually never returned...as expected, many died from disease, but many also chose to stay there.

This book is mainly an account of one woman Dutch who lived in Jakarta, who then returned briefly with her husband to Holland, and then lived the rest of their lives in the American colonies (Manhattan). For those who do not like dense books on history, this book is for you. Chapters can be read incidentally and are accompanied by quality photos of Margrieta's possessions (or facimile).

There is a slightly shocking ending to the van Varick story in New Amsterdam/ New York.