Woman's Knives in a Tube

To expand on "knives in a tube" for women we'll look at how they are included in wardrobes, worn and used. There are at least three and probably more types for the ladies than I have found so far, but this will provide a launching point to work from. Both of the below are found in inventories.The third, utility and fancy knives will be covered in another post. 

1) The double knives in a sheath hung from the girdle.
2) The knife and fort in a sheath hung from the girdle.


From Museum Vieeshuis in Netherlands two knives in sheath dated to 1562 Link: 

The 17th century was both an adventure and consolidation era for those on the European continent. The introduction of new goods were spreading from one nation to another. Many made it to America. Unfortunately, I don't have comparison info for England and New England, but of the 16 New England inventories I have from 1633 - 1675 I haven't found "women's knives"; though I suspect they existed or at least women adapted the use of them at some point. This said, one woman has a blunderblust ! I love this woman. 

But I digress, the 17th century sees a massive leap forward and there is a reason why it is grouped with the Modern Era as apposed to the middle-ages. Nearing the end of the Italian renaissance, enough ideas and developments of economies had occur for Central and Northern Europe to increase international trade and exposure to other cultures. The Flemish and Netherlanders had developed strong textile industries during the middle-ages, along with the invention of new technologies including the windmill for industrial purposes (except for the 12th century one developed by the Italians for the fulling of woolens ), business models focused on warehousing huge quantities of goods, and the fluyte a ship that only needs the same number of men as a gallon but with a pot belly able to carried more than twice the cargo. These developments did something rather unique, the Dutch were able to buys goods in one nation and ship them for low costs to another, AND they paid their workers and laborers more than comparable workers in other nations. (More on incomes later.) This meant that the average working class person could afford meat once a week, and had access to goods from around the world. 

1) What is called "ladies knives in a tube" or "woman's knives in a tube" is the movement from women in the middle ages from having a single small all-purpose knife, to knives for specific purposes. Its not that they didn't exist before, but that during the 17th Century laborers, peddlers and farmers were able to access goods that may of been either too expensive or just not available. 

1665 - Rachel Monger de la Montagne wife of Mr. Gysbert Van Imbroch’s a surgeon  of Kingston, NY -  two women's knives made of silver in a tube  


Below is a painting of a Fanconia-Wuttenberg woman (note the round fur hat), name unknown, about 1620s-1630, upper middle class, merchant or nobility. It is difficult to tell sometimes due to the similarity of clothing between the wealthy middle class and nobility. The painting is in the the Crailo Fort historical museum near Albany, NY. We don't know if the painting was brought over as a Victorian era souvenir, or with an early settler. While not clear in the photo, the tops of the utensils are very similar to the design posted at the bottom of this post. 

The Crailo museum also has an early fork and knife without a case on display. It was found during a dig on the site. The knife right below the Crailo knife, is a 1760 Dutch antique, Link.. Note the bird wing or feather shape of the blades. 

The ladies knives in a tube are worn by the women of the Netherlands, Flanders, Frankfurt the greater Franconia region, and Wittenberg which over laps with Franconia and in America. They are worn in other areas, but my data is specific the regions above. 

The allegory by Adriaen Pietersz van de Venne (1589 – 12 November 1662) shows a poor couple. Though poor, she still has a sheath for cutlery. Many of de Venne's prints (post 1620s to his death) are made from works created by the Dutchman Jacob Cats. Adriaen Pieters van de Venne

Here is a simple set in tube from the Netherlands from http://www.rondom1920.nl. The shape is a lot like the ones shown in the images of women with a long strap to a thin sheath. There are actually two tube attached together, with separate openings for each utensil. When the utensils are in the sheath or "Hoes", they protrude out the top, total length is 18cm.

Another of de Venne paintings is an allegory of greed, but in stead of a wealthy merchant a  male and female peddlers are the focus. This is a cropping of the Art.net image. Link

Pheasant Couple Dancing by van de Venne. Note that for peasant, working class and peddlers the sheath is hung rather low, with the top reaching the knee. Link 

An one more of van de Venne's, woman with fish basket. The only thing about this image is her head dress is made of fur. It is in the Franconia-Wuttemberg style. She may be an immigrant and explains the look a young Dutchmen - not seen here - is giving her.

An older image about 1600. The woman is middle class and we can tell because she is wearing a Spanish ropa (robe) and "hyke" or long vail, a common outfit for married women of Flanders, the Netherland and German regions at this time. Link

In the 1692 Deledique New York inventory we have "2 knives & 1 fork & pocket pistol". The below image of red cutlery is of a man's version but demonstrates just how fancy they can get. While referred to as a "hunting kit", it was not a carving set as they are too small and lack a blade sharpener. The back of the case has owners initials and the date of 1667.

PHOTO FROM Live-Auctioneers.com August 14th, 2016, West Point Auction, Lot 0775. 
Description: 
Weight (Lbs): 0.75 
Height (In.): 10.5 
Width (In.): 2.5 
Depth (In.): 2.5 
Size: 154.5 x 4.0 x 4.0" 
Maker: Unknown German 
Material: Silver, Agate, Shagreen 
Date: 17th C. 





2) One of the many items that originated in Italy, later turning up in the Netherlands and brought to America was the fork. This transition from two knives to a fork and knife reflects the adoption of new eating habits. You need a reason to adopt forks. For the Italians it was due to a specific pasta (a general term) called "spaghetti". In American English we tend to use "spaghetti" naively to mean all pasta, when it is specifically only a medium thickness very long noodle that are difficult to eat.  For the Dutch is was not pasta, or meat, as stabbing it with a knife worked perfectly fine... it was due to the Dutch introducing a new food. A "lettuce salad" with "salad oil" dressing. No joke. Those modern day ladies who lunch in Manhattan have been doing it for almost 400 years (They arrived in 1624). Below the 5 cases of knives and forks were in with items from the east indies specifically from "Indea". The owners used other terms for items from other "east indies" regions. So, these are likely to be either European or from India. It also doesn't mention if they are meant for men or women, however much of their inventory does designate when something is specific to one or the other. 

1685 - de Lang - of NYC for sale in their store - "5 knives & 5 'forces' in cases 00:10:00"

17th century German knife and fork in tube, Link


Knife, Fork and Spoon in hard case, Link


Europeans were not the only ones eating with knives and forks during the 17th century. One historian suggested that the fork was adopted from the middle east during the middle ages, with 16th century case knives and forks in museum collections. Italy also got the spinning wheel, horizontal loom, and wooden washboard for clothes from the middle east and so this is not surprising. Knife and forks from Syria and India plus Germany and Netherlands in a sheath come up for auction, luckily many have marks that can ID them.

17th Century Syrian knife and fork in tube, Link. 


In the 17th century we can see average everyday people with tubes attached to their girdles. It is possible that during the 17th century that working class persons were more likely to have the two knives in a tube, while wealthier persons had adopted the fork and knife.

17th century design plate in Rijksmuseum collection in the Netherlands:

Rapiers and Cane Swords in Albany New York

As I continue to read through old docs. I came upon more rapiers. They seem to be a staple throughout the 17th century.  "Van Twiller sailed from the island of Texel, on the ship 'Soutberg', shortly after July 27, 1632, and arrived at New Amsterdam in April of the following year... " Wouter van Twiller took with him, "a silver plated rapier with baldric and a hat with plumes for the 'schout' [Rutger Hendricks van Soest], and black hats with silver bands for the 'schepens' [Roelof Jansz van Masterland]".  - Minutes of the court of Rensselaerwyck 1648 - 1652 - See Dutch/Flemmish Rapier with silver mounts below.

In Rennselaerwyck, for the year 1648 and 49 we see Jan Thomas and Volckert, "Jans has furnished 118 lbs. nails for the barn... Also 5 rapier blades at fl. 2-10 each." (2-10 guilders each). And For 30 rapier blades, which were broad, rusted and not merchantable, presented to the [Indian] chiefs, valued at one guilder each, amounting to 30:00:00". 

In the same book we see on March 22, 1652, when the commissioner came to Mr. Sander's house in order to bring his servant/slave into court. The servant/slave was accuse of slandering another person [probably a white person]. When Sanders ask the commissioner to come back the next day, he became angry threatening to haul the whole family into court and to shoot up their home. Sanders explained that the commissioner was not his master and in response, "Whereupon the commissary drew his rapier and threaten to run said Sander through, so that Sander in defending himself was stabbed." However, it appears Sanders survived the attack. 

In the Fort Orange and Beverwyck Court Minutes for Feb 3rd, 1653 we find a duel ! Jacob Jansz Stoll while drunk but on duty with the Burgher guard stumbled into the guardhouse. Where Stoll then threaten "Jochem" Becker the baker and Corporal in the guard, "to fight against him [Becker] with his sword and threatened to cut and hack at him, the corporal, with the sword, holding it unsheathed in front of said corporal's nose and saying: 'I dare you to draw your colonel's rapier.'" 

Stoll seems to of had problems with drinking and anger because on June 30th of 1654 he was brought into court for stabbing Dirrick Lammertsz. Darrick says to Stoll while shaking him by the sleeve but not sticking him that "he should keep his mouth shut, or he would sew it up with a waxed thread." Stoll said that Dirrick was a beggar, with Dirrick countering, "Go and get a sword or a rapier and strike, if you are an honest fellow!" 

Another account in the court minutes from 1657  have Lambert van Valckenborch plaintiff against Hendrick Claessen and Gerrit Willemsen defendents. "Plaintiff complains that the defendants beat him and his wife in his own houses. The defendants deny it and claim that the plaintiff chased them with a naked rapier out of his house and pursued them to the center of the fort." 

The likely reason for the considerable number of rapiers is simply because both the soldiers and citizens who served in the burgher guard carried swords and rapiers. This created a high demand, and why 30 of them would be used and rusted by 1648 when the blades were beyond battle use and past into trade with indigenous persons. There are two more accounts of people fighting with rapiers in Ulster County, another person speaks of the term "rapier of war", and another inventory has a sword and sheath. 

However, it is the inventory of Mr. Marken in 1664 that is awesome. This is not the first time I have seen this item, there are about three that I have seen in total. But I am sure it is one reenactors would love  !

".....1 cane wherein is a rapier blade..."

Serge - From Delaware to New York

Not long ago, I did a short run and leap onto a fancy bed made up at a hotel. Coincidently, it was located in the financial district of Manhattan, a place known for luxury. The space was design to attract Europeans, hipsters, those who love striking art deco and those who scored a 50% off discount like me. When I rolled over, I noticed the diagonal weave on the expensive pillow cases... it was serge. While I am use to smooth cotton pillow cases like most Americans, this fabric was a little stiffer, with a slight grain when sliding your hand across it. I wasn't sure if I could sleep on it, but sleep I did... no problem. This might explain why the children of 17th century New York had caps for their heads and clouts for their bums made from it without complaints. And... as I was flipping through my database I found this:

1682, Ashman of Jamaica, NY, Farm, Three “paire” of sheets two “payere” of pillow “serge”.

The Ashmans seem to really like serge as did many people. Their 1682 inventory also included, “twoe” “sutes” of “clothes”, one “cloath” [Laken] and one serge “sute”. As we move through different material goods, you'll start to notice a trend, New Yorkers never seem to change whether they live up in Albany and Kingston or Brooklyn and Manhattan. As they expanded out to Rochester, New York, you'll notice they took their exspectations with them. There is a consistent preference for small wardrobes made of the highest quality fabric they could afford. There is also not a huge difference between the wardrobes of farmers, trades persons, shop keepers, and small merchants. The jumps occur between laborers to farmers, and small merchants to mega merchants (or those in the slave trade). There is also a disparity between those living between Brooklyn to Albany and those out on Long Island. After 1700, Long Islanders start to catch up to everyone else, but the the tendency to have a bulging middle class seems to continue through to the French and Indian war. This is a point that is commented on by people during the 18th century. Outside of the mega merchants, there is not a considerable disparity between folks, a place where everyone appears middle class. We will discuss why this seems to be in a later post. But fabric has a lot to do with this, and serge is one of them. There is a distinct lack of kersey and says in inventories as compared to serge (summer weight) and woolens (winter weight). For reenactors of 17th century New Netherland or New York serge and laken are defining fabrics. 

It is important to note that woolens and worsted fabric in the 19th, 20th and 21st century are not easily comparable to the ones in the middle ages through the 18th century, unless the mill overlapped the centuries. While mechanized weaving and the availability of certain types of wool have changed over time, so have terms and definitions in part because manufacturers wanted to sell people on products, to make old fabrics "new" again. The article "Three Centuries of Luxury Textile Consumption in the Low Countries and England, 1330-1570" by Munro describes the following, "we must first examine the physical differences between the wool-based textiles grouped into three categories: says or worsted, woolens, and a hybrid category, commonly called serge." Worsted, woolen and hybrids are all woven with a twill which is made with a 'two [threads] over" pattern, which creates the diagonal cord effect in the weave.

We have to be careful here, while "woolens" are defined consistently, there are modern authors of books who flip the definitions for says (worsted), serge and stuff (both hybrids). While Munro separates says and serge and stuff by thread types used, even he, later in the study, groups them together when made in the same factory. This is because much depends on the era and location of the manufacturer, in addition to if the manufacturer was for instance first a say producer who then added on the production of serge, or vis versa; which happens in the famous Flemish sayetteries. Then to complicate it, many Protestant say makers leave Catholic Flanders for England, set up shop and start making "serge or stuff". The resurgence in light weight wool fabric production in England is called "New Draperies". Whereas, these industries are centuries old on the continent. Due to their weight, says, serges and stuffs are classed as "lichte drapery" in Flemish, or "light draperies". On the continent, the manufacturers are called sayetteries and serge industries; and in England they are call "worsted" industries. The take away is that says and serge should not be interchangeable but be aware they are consistently interchanged by authors, and likely related to which factory they use as an example. For New York, we have to use the thread types; "say = worsted" and "serge = hybrid" because the products are being shipped from both the the Netherlands/Flanders and England throughout the 17th century. 

When you look at the two photos below, both fabrics are woven in Leiden, Netherlands, you'll notice the twill pattern and the colored lines at the edge. The colored lines were mandatory to show that all sections of the fabric were of the same width. The top is a summer weight serge, the bottom is a say. The major difference? The serge is made from better wool, finer cord, and will last longer. Generally, says had a looser weave, though not obvious in the photo below. Says are sometimes defined as having worsted warp and weft, but also as a hybrid, serge is always a hybrid. 

When serge is exported to America it is found in inventories from New Amstel (Delaware) to Pavonia (New Jersey) and Manhattan to Beverwijk (Albany, NY). Its use spans the whole of the 17th century both under Dutch and later under the English soveriegnship. Serge found in inventories prior to the 1660s, and even up to 1674, are likely Dutch, because England's serge production ramped up during the second half of the 17th century. During the second half of the century it could be either, however, it is best to look at where a merchant was purchasing their goods and if they owned their own ships. There are 1690s merchants traveling to Holland and shipping goods back to Albany, NY just as there are merchants out on Long Island, NY who are obviously ordering from England. 

1659: Brill, New Amstel, a gray serge man’s coat.
1665: Imbroch, Kingston, serge breeches
1693: Van Bommell, NYC, 1 “Read” “Sarge” petticoat

British settlers in the area also used serge. In 1669, Widow Partridge of NYC had "6 yards &1/2 of serge 02.10.00" and 1680 Peirson in Southhampton had "a yard of “rod” “broadcloath” and 4 yards 1/2 “rod” “serg” 003:00:00. The Widow probably had Dutch or Flemish serge due to the date and the Southhampton inventory probably had English.

Serge is a fabric found in farmer's and merchant's inventories. The Ashmans had a small home in Jamaica, NY with an orchard, yet had a fair amount of serge. While Imbroch was a doctor who also had serge breeches. Serge is a work horse of fabrics, durable, and can be worn in the spring, summer and fall. Serge fabric is found in black, gray, red, "woman's blue" [possibly sky or Dutch blue], green and "colored" in inventories. Interestingly, a "striped" serge was available in a 1690s store inventory. This may of been from Scandinavia. They had developed stripped wool fabrics early on and are found in Sweden. 

One final inventory, an older mulatto female slave and a mulatto girl slave who were valued at 5:00:00, in the 1687 Taylor of NYC inventory owned the following clothing:   

Cloaths belonging to the “negerin”: 
a parsol of old things 0:12:00, 
1 black “gowne” & “petticoate” 01:10:00, 
1 Serge “gowne”, “petticoate” & Stays 1:10:00, 
1 “p” of “brawles” [a textile] 00:04:06. 

Taylor did not have a wife or known children. It is possible that the adult female slave and child were his relations. This might explain the reason for Taylor paying out 2:20:00 pounds for a complete set of clothes for them including stays [ a type of corset]. The black gown and petticoat probably belonged to the older woman, and the serge gown, petticoat and stays to the girl. A Note: Stays are rather expensive, for the black gown and petticoat to be worth the equivalent of the serge gown, petticoat and stays, it must of been made of fine material or was new. But clothing that is new or old, is usually labeled as such in NY inventories.

Inventories have the ability to reveal a lot about the lives of early settlers, from the spread of culture, social acceptance or disparity and how one values relationships.

Laken a Woolen

There were a number of different types of fabrics made with sheep's wool. One particular type found in both New Netherland and New York is "Laken", but I have yet to of found it in New England. Laken is a tricky word in some respects because the fabric was so popular that the word "Laken" when used in the Netherlands, become synominous with the word for "cloth" in general. When English dictionaries such as the "A copious English and Netherdutch Dictionary" published in 1675  translates Laken into English, it is the generalized term that is used. However, manufacturers continued to use the term "laken" for only "fulled" made with Merino wool fabrics; otherwise it is predicated with the exact type of fabric as in "serge laken". We are lucky to have extant swatches of woolens from the 17th, 18th & 19th century. 

Photo 1: 17th century chair and fabric, fabric is Laken in Green made in the City of Leiden Laken, Museum de Laken


Laken is a woolen,made from Spanish merino wool, woven in the City of Leiden, is thick and "fulled". In a modern experiment to recreate 15th century laken from Leiden by the "Eindhoven" Museum a 2/2-twill was chosen "because fulled 2/2-twills are found in archaeological excavated textiles from e.g. "Groningen" in Holland". ....In a guild guid, different types of laken came in different widths for instance, one type was an 80 twist, which has a 80 port of 30 threads per portee or 2400 threads in the width of the fabric and is 15 quarters of an ell wide with one ell being about 69 centimeters so a finished product was 260 centimeters wide. The study said the fabric was about 9 threads per centimeter. However, the Eindhoven fabric was woven with 10 threads per centimeter in the warp and 8 threads per cm in the weft. The fabric is cleansed with bentonite or "fuller's" earth, then rinsed in a pond. Then a basin is fulled with urine, melted butter and water to create a soapy mixture where the fabric was placed. This mixture does the fulling work over 11 hours and then it is rinsed in the pond again. More can be read in the "Reconstructing 15th century Laken" by Anton Rearing and Katherine Vestergard Pedersen. 

The finished product was fuzzy on the inside, had long smooth threads on the outside making it water resistant, is warmer than woolens and more durable than felt. So, it is not surprising to see petticoats being made out of it. In 1638, a court record states that "Cornelis Petersen [male] declared that "Annetje" [female] had sold him a hog and purchased in return of him purple laken sufficient for a petticoat." In another court record from 1667, Madam Cornelia de Vos is seen wearing on her person, "...a green laken petticoat..." Laken is found in inventories from the 1641 "...a "staal" gray lined petticoat..." to when the English received sovereign control of New Netherland (New York, New Jersey, Delaware) in 1667, through to the 1680s and 90s. 

The definition of "Cloth" according to the Leiden Laken Museum: "cloth noun (pl. cloths) : 1. [mass noun] a woollen fabric that is first woven and next fulled, which renders it warmer than woven fabric, but stronger than felt. Cloth fabric is used to manufacture clothes, but also for upholstery of furniture and walls."

While we can't be sure if the "1 new purple apron" in a 1641 inventory is laken - though we know there was a supplier of purple laken in the colony - in 1643 there was in a man's inventory, "1 old mantle of colored laken". In a 1651 men's inventory laken is found in several garments, whereas, the word "stuff" is also used to distinguish mixed woolens in the same inventory. 

one colored laken coat

1 suit of colored laken with a narrow braid

1 suit of black laken, 
1 remnant of laken
one colored laken dress, half worn
one black woolen stuff for a short cloak 

In a 1659 inventory, there is "a black brocade man's coat, a pair of dark colored laken breeches, a square box with: a pair of gray "fulled" man's stockings...". There is also "dark stuff man's shirt..." and another "pair of "fulled" man's stockings". 

Photo above: a Laken swatch card from 1688 made in City of Leiden, Museum de Laken- Top to bottom: Scarlet, "Dark green", Crimson, "graraas", Crimson (II), beige, "Blummer" (Flower?) Sense, "Caffee" Color. Photo below: a close up of the filled fabrics. 

Later inventories show the continued use of laken despite fashion changes. While silk is in inventories since the 1640s, it is no longer used in only Sunday suits or "best dress".  By the 1650s suits, gowns, and petticoats are made of silk. Cotton is also found since the 1640s as is other thinner weight wool fabrics. But by the 1650s wardrobes become more diverse in their fabric selections. Despite this, laken - often written as "cloth" - is found in inventories while the colony is under English sovereign rule. While the question of whether a garment labeled as "red cloth" is laken or not is not perfect; the listing of other garments and their fabric as was the case with "laken" vs. "stuff" helps clarify its use. In later inventories we see the use of cloth, serge, kersey, and stuff, but not "woolen" unless it is used to describe stockings and caps or as a category header for a list of woolens. 

A 1678 inventory listed the following:

A broad “cloath” “coats” a “pare” of “Carsy” [Kersey] “Britches” 03:10:00, 

a “pare” “sarg” [serge] “trorosors” e a stuff coat L03:00:00 

a broad “cloath” “coate” a “sarge” [serge] duffet” e “pase” “britches” L03:00:00,  

“seven “pare” of home made stockings  L01:08:00, 

two “pare” of “worsted” "stock"…L00:10:00, 

a winter coat a “dublet” e a “pare” of “cloath” britches L03:00:00, 

Photo 3: 18th century breeches made of Laken from City of Leiden, Museum de Laken

Considering laken's use as a winter fabric, it is not surprising to see it still being used nearing the end of the 17th century in breeches with a winter coat. Laken mentioned as cloth continues to show up in inventories into the 18th century. The Laken industry was hight through the 16th and into the 17th century, declined for a few decades and then picked back up going into the 18th century and continued into the early 19th century.  The reason Laken made a come back is because it was made from fine merino wool, whereas many heavy woolens were made from good but not great wool. This allowed these companies to survive competition from other nations that did not use merino wool. 

Thank you for exploring Laken with with me !

Rapiers, Pistols, and a Katana

The weapons in 17th century New Netherland and New York span a wide range of goods including rapiers, pistols and even a Japanese cutlas.

Rapiers in the 17th century were slender pointed swords with significant reach. The hilt had a shield for protecting the hand that was usually rather ornate. Two are given in the examples at the bottom of the page; the one listed in the 1643 inventory of Jonas Bronchas with silver mounts and the other is in the 1651 inventory of  Jan Jansen Damen and Brewer. The photos of swords in the Rijk Museum shows at Left a Rapier from 1590-1596 and right is a Degen from 1660. 

Women usually had scissors, thimbles and bodkins. But sometimes, they had small knives or a pair of knives. Women of all classes whether working, middle or merchant wore knives during the first half of the 17th century. Images show women from the Netherlands to Wuttenburg and other Germanic regions wearing knives on their girdles. An oil painting of a woman from Wuttenburg hung at Fort Crailo in Albany NY shows a woman with a gold sheath and likely two knives... alternatively they could be a fork and knife. Her head cover is a fur hat that is commonly worn in the Wuttenburg and neighboring areas. She is also of the merchant class based on her clothing and gold chain; and dates to the 1630s because of the high-waist robe-gown she is wearing. While it would be great to know if this painting was brought over during the 17th century by one of the early German settlers in the region, it remains unknown. 

Fort Crailo FB

The woman's knives are stored in a sheath that is hung on a chain, which is attached to a girdle. A set of knives in a sheath are seen on the left hand side of the image of an Old Peasant Couple Dancing linked below. Both the man and woman have knives tethered to their girdles. In the 1643 etching in this post you can see the knife in sheath hanging from the girdle of a woman from the Franco region of southern Germany. 

PeasantCouple.jpg

Alternatively, the Japanese cutlas was used only for fighting. A Japanese Cutlas is listed in a inventory from the New Netherland era, located in what would be modern Harlem. While Jonas Bronc Japanese Cutlas is the only Asian weapon found in inventories, is not the only product of Japanese origin. Other inventories have Japanese scales used for weighing groceries, and Japanese clothing are also found. So, its possible that other Japanese items are present but don't turn up in inventories. Below is a Dutch tile of a Japanese warrior and his sword made between 1635-1645. In 1641, the Shogun of Japan entered into an agreement to begin trade with the Netherlands. 

17th century Japanese katana

The inventory below of Ides Stoffelsen includes 4 pistols. While the pistols may of belonged to her previous husband, they probably provided a safeguard on her new farm in Pavonia, New Jersey which was then part of New Netherland. Below are a pair of Dutch Wheel lock pistols, in the Rijk Museum collection. 

While many inventories do not list a full description of a particular item, we start to get a glimpse of how common it was to have a sword or pistol or multiples there of. I hope you enjoy the excerpts from some of the inventories in my database. The following items are goods found in inventories from the 1640s - 1702 in New Netherland and New York. Below a pair of wheel lock muskets-rifles were produced between 1650-1690. 

1641 - Vrouentje [widow] Ides Stoffelsen wife of Jacob Stoffelsen of Povonia New Jersey -  4 pistols

1643 - Jonas Bronc - 3 guns, 1 musket, 1 rapier with silver mounting, 1 Japanese cutlas, 1 dagger with silver mounting

1651 - Jacob Rooy - one black handled knife

1651 - Jan Jansen Damen and Brewer - In front room, 1 rapier, 1 large powered horn, 1 pair of new shoes, 

1665 - Rachel Monger de la Montagne wife of Mr. Gysbert Van Imbroch’s a surgeon  of Kingston, NY -  two women's knives made of silver in a tube  

1666 - Cornelis Bogardus of Fort Orange [ Albany, NY ] - many guns 

1680 - Henry Peirson - 3 guns and a sword

1682 - Robert Ashman of Jamaica, NY - one gun and sword

1682 - Asher Levy and Miriam  - 1 silver knife, and silver to a belt for a sword

1692 - Capt. George Bradshaw - 1 sword

1702 - William Baker - Merchant of NY - To a sword & slute [sheath ? ] & ax ax 14:00:00 , To 4 ounce of Thread & one old “pistall” att 00:7:6