Pieter Holm (*1686-†1776)

Pieter Holm, born around 1686 in Sweden, died 4th Feb. 1776 in Amsterdam, left his homeland whilst in his youth, to seek his fortune at sea. In 1720, of his own telling in Stuurmans Zeemeeter (Amsterdam 1748), he was on a journey around the world on board the ship 'Regt door Zee' (ship on steady course) [9]. In telling the story of his journey, he may have taken a few artistic liberties, as there is some evidence against the authenticity of it. He ran a nautical school at the sign of 'Schip Recht door Zee' in Amsterdam from 1737 to 1776. His school with address Kattegat 1 (picture of his house above, and location on a kadaster map ca. 1830) [6] and [7]. Holm's full biography is given in [3] and [9]. After his death in 1776 he was succeeded by his apprentice Arend Swieter, who also continued the production of tobacco boxes. 

Next to teaching navigation, Holm was also a dealer in octants, backstaffs and other navigational equipment. Holm is probably best known for his tobacco boxes [2] that often appear at auction.

Sliding Gunter navigational rule retailed by Pieter Holm.

According to his business ledger, only 2 Sliding Gunters are known to have been sold by Holm [8]. One was sold to first mate Dierk Pieterze on the ship Vriesland on 13 November 1756. The second sliding Gunter was sold to captain Eje Tiallings on 22 November 1763 [Mörzer Bruyns 2003:169, 192].

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REFERENCES

[1] Journal of the Oughtred Society: Otto E. van Poelje; The Sliding Gunter-Versions for Navigation at Sea. 

[2] Literature on Pieter Holm and his Tobacco Box (chronological) https://www.staff.science.uu.nl/~gent0113/holmbox/holmbox_refs.htm

[3] http://resources.huygens.knaw.nl/retroboeken/nnbw/#source=10&page=197&view=imagePane

[4] Symon van de Molen; Verklaaring van het gebruyk der schuyf-schaal, 1704 [KB Delpher] 

[5] Verklaaring van het gebruyk der Engelse schuyfschaal, 1752 [Google Books] 

[6] Holm's house from 1766-1776 http://www.maritiemdigitaal.nl/index.cfm?event=search.getdetail&id=101113430 [maritiem digitaal]

[7] Theo Bakker 'De kop van de Nieuwendijk' http://www.theobakker.net/pdf/kattegat.pdf

[8] W.F.J. Mörzer Bruyns; Schip recht door zee. De octant in de Republiek in de achttiende eeuw, KNAW, Amsterdam 2003.

[9] Ernst Crone; De Zee, Zeevaartkundig Tijdschrift 1930.

[10] De Nieuwe Zeemans-assistent, Gerard Hulst van Keulen, Amsterdam 1780. [Google Books]