card, birthday
Catalog Number
1989.1.298.1Description
Birthday card showing a woven basket full of yellow roses. In the upper left corner, in black, are the words "A happy birthday to you".On the back of the card the postmark "OCT 3 1907" can be seen at the top. The card is addressed to "Miss Alice Toppen of 60 West 17th Street, Holland Mich".
History
Alice Toppen Bos was born in the Netherlands on 10-3-1873 to Jacob and Helena Toppen. She's listed as a dress maker in the 1910 Holland city directory. She was living at 47 East 14th Street at the time. The 1921 Holland city directory shows that Alice worked as a seamstress.Alice married Hildebrand Bos in Holland, MI on 6-9-1921. She passed away on 7-6-1955 at Pinerest Hospital in Cutlerville, MI and was buried in Pilgrim Home Cemetery.
Lois Van Landegend Sinke (1912-1988), longtime Holland, MI resident and businesswoman, operated the Old Store Antique Shop on 8th Street in Holland from the 1940’s to the 1970’s. The store was located at 49 West 8th Street, in her father Tyler Van Landegend’s old store. Tyler previously worked as a tinsmith from this location.
Many of the antiques in Lois’ store belonged to her parents, Tyler Van Landegend and Ada L. Bellany, and, possibly, Tyler’s parents Johannes and Anna. Unfortunately, none of the accession records indicate the origin of the individual pieces in this donation. Pinpointing any one object as a Van Landegend and/or Sinke heirloom would be pure speculation.
At worst, this donation consists of many fine antiques, some of which duplicate other pieces in the Museum’s permanent collection. At best, some of the pieces may be able to be tied, with some uncertainty, to Lois’ family.
Lois is buried beside her husband Frank in Holland’s Restlawn Memorial Gardens.