Car Boot Nonsense

[howard]

Very much "if you don't ask you'll never know", this one. Maybe one for the Dutch speakers (not "Spykers") amongst us.

I bought an interesting brass plaque at a car boot, for the princely sum of £1.75, approximately 2.5" by 6", marked "N.V. Nederlandsche Spoorwegen", which I knew was the Dutch railway. It is in English and Dutch, and is dated 1907.

I don't really care if it's original or a "fantasy" item, because I still like it, but I'd like to find out more about it. I did find a description of what seems to be the same item which says that it's not original and the language is "made up" but for me ignorance is certainly bliss.

It reads "N.V. Nederlandsche Spoorwegen -

Het is verboden in den wagen en op de balkons te spuwen en in den wagen te rooken of aldaar eene brandende sigaar, cigarette of pijp meded te brengen".

Underneath is the translation in English, which seems pretty accurate from what I know (which isn't a lot!).

"It is prohibited to spit in the compartment and on the balconies, also to smoke in the compartment or to carry a lighted cigar, cigarette or pipe"

"H. Heinen, Directeur de Nederlandsche Spoorwegen 1 September 1907".

Any ideas? Seems an odd thing to reproduce, but what do I know?

There is verdigris on it, and some light dents, and the holes seem to have wear on them, but whether that's built in to the reproduction, I have no idea!

Anyone else buy some nonsense from a car boot today?

[Onne]

According to my quick search almost certainly a fake (sorry...) as the Nederlandse Spoorwegen wasn't established until 1927.

Also the opinion from my source is that the language would be unlikely to be english as second language, and more likely to be french at that time.

But nice object nevertheless

[howard]

I can live with that, Onne! Still doesn't answer why the hell they made it for! I find that the oddest part! I'm not too cross with the results of my £1.75 (the same cost as the ice cream I also bought).

My example appears weathered at the top, so it's possible someone did put it on something where it was outside - which is no doubt an even weirder story that we'll never fathom out!

If worse comes to the worse, I could always put it on eBay and see if anyone's mad enough to buy it.

I've already set my sights on that plaque outside the DAF museum, which will look far nicer on my wall

[Patrick]

Can't think/read about spitting on trains without thinking of the limerick....

There was a young man from Ealing
Who went on a train to Darjeeling
It said on the door
Do Not Spit On The Floor!
So he lay down and spat on the ceiling!



_Sorry!

[howard]

Don't apologise Patrick - made me laugh!!!!

I've just seen one of those plaques the same on eBay for the princely sum of £6.00 so you never know, I might make some money on it after all!

[shauntheprawn]

I went to a car boot last Sunday and bought the biggest adjustable spanner I have ever seen for seven quid. The bloke said it was owned by Great Western Railways and used to tighten the bolts that keep the tracks in place. It,s absolutely fantastic....haven't got a clue what I'm going to do with it though!

[joloke10]

Ive been to several Car Boot Sales but gave up in the end as i never saw One Car Boot for Sale

;D ;D ;D

[33grinder]

Well get this, Mrs G is doing a bootsale tomorrow morning.

So, I cut short my car activities this afternoon to lug bits down from the loft and load up the Rover to the gunnels gunwalls it was packed, anyway, ready for tomorrow morning.

That's my duties done I thought. No, she asks me to set my alarm for 5:30am so I can wake her up!

Is it just me or is something wrong with this picture? ;D