[Album amicorum of Seth Gaaikema's grandmother] Friend book of Tieltje Seth Paul

née De Jong: "Dit album ontvangen in het Sanatorium te Arnhem 1899". Album with over 300 pages of mostly handwritten (poetic) contributions dated 1899-1902, here and there with postcards, dried plants and drawings, bound in black velvet, edges gilt, 26 x 21 cm. (here and there small holes).

Interesting album of the grandmother of comedian Seth Gaaikema (1939-2014). Tieltje Seth Paul (Batavia 32-2-1870 - Haarlem 21-09-1928) was married to the Armenian Seth Paul (Iran, New Julva 26-01-1856 - Batavia 23-08-1921). Together they had 3 children, Sophie (1872-1972), Alexander (1905-?) and Tilly (1910-1961). The latter was the mother of Seth Regner Gaaikema. The album starts with the note that it has been received in the Sanatorium in Arnhem in 1899, with a postcard of the building. From various contributions it becomes clear that the receiver was nursed in room 31 and room 23. Most of the contributions by far, often also long, were written by Tieltje's nurse Geertruida N. Haas, besides her own entries she also writes inspiring pieces by others (e.g. former patients and poets such as Bilderdijk and Tollens) in the book. Pages 7 and 8 are filled with signatures of various members of the Jelgersma family, various members of the Seth Paul family (Sophie, Thaddy, Klara) and many others. It contains multiple English contributions from Tieltje's husband Seth Paul (including a drawing of a rose branch). Other contributions: several contributions by A. van Erp Taalman Kip (1x with drawing by her father, 1x with her calling card); Soedara Ajam; Thaddy Seth Paul (including a drawing) and Klara and Sophie Seth Paul (including short notes of dates on which they visited Tieltje); Henriette van Dorp-Chabot; several contributions by M.H. de Roodt; Johanna Timmerman; Hélène Edgar; A. Jocobson Tandin-Chabot; H.L.J. de Bie; W.H. Jongeneel de Heus; H. Sylvester. Many contributions have been written in Amsterdam, including pages with signatures of persons mostly mentioned above, dated December 1899 to February 1900. Several contributions have been written in South Africa and in Heidelberg (June 1900, with postcards), Buxton (August 1900), Oud Kralingen (members of the De Roodt family, June 1901), Arnhem Hotel Bellevue (August 1901, incl. members of the Van Eyk and Versteegh families).