James Dormer, Keizerlijke en Koninklijke Verzekeringskamer te Antwerpen

Item

Country

BE

Name of institution (English)

FelixArchief (Antwerp City Archives)

Name of institution (official language of the state)

Language of name of institution

dut

Contact information: postal address

Oudeleeuwenrui 29, 2000 Antwerpen

Contact information: phone number

0032 33389411

Contact information: web address

Contact information: email

stadsarchief@antwerpen.be

Reference number

BE SA 83638

Type of reference number

Archival reference number

Title (English)

James Dormer, Imperial and Royal Insurance Chamber in Antwerp

Title (official language of the state)

James Dormer, Keizerlijke en Koninklijke Verzekeringskamer te Antwerpen

Language of title

dut

Creator / accumulator

James Dormer

Date(s)

1729/1777

Language(s)

dut

Type of material

Textual Material

Scope and content

The James Former fonds comprises documentation related to his activity as a merchant and owner of an insurance company.
It includes correspondence from Portuguese Jews in Amsterdam and London with whom Former kept businesses in the second half of the 18th century. Most of this correspondence reports affairs related to the diamond trade. Some examples are the following:
IB 1719: letters from Abraham van Moses Lopes Suasso Fr. & Companhia (Amsterdam) to James Dormer.
IB 1723: letters from Aaron and David Fernandes Nunes (Amsterdam) to James Dormer.
IB 1741, IB 1742, IB 1743 and IB 1744: letters from Francis and Joseph Salvador (London) to James Dormer.
IB 1762: letters from David and Joseph Ximenes (London) to James Dormer.

Archival history

This fonds is part of the Insolvente Boedelskamer Antwerpen (Chamber of Insolvent Estates in Antwerp) archives. This is a crucial collection of documentary heritage, which allows us to understand and analyse international relations and interactions in the Early Modern Period (1500-1800).
In the 16th century, Antwerp was one of the most important centres of the world economy, a very rapidly growing and vibrant metropolis that based its wealth on international trade, as well as on banking and communication, especially during the reign of the Habsburg emperor Charles V. In this context of rapid expansion and international trade, a very special institution was developed in Antwerp. In order to protect the interests of creditors and clients, the Antwerp municipal council ordered that, from 1518 onwards, all papers, correspondence, archives and possessions of the insolvent or bankrupt individuals or firms had to be confiscated immediately and curated by an officer of justice: the so-called “amman”.
This resulted in more than 150 archives of companies, firms, and traders, which were confiscated or guarded in the Town Hall of Antwerp. By virtue of the nature of this procedure, a whole series of snapshots of the economic, social, and cultural life and networks in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries is available in the Insolvente Boedelskamer collections. The people involved were operating on an international scale. This implies that the whole collection offers information on international relations worldwide from the 16th to the 18th century.

Administrative / Biographical history

James Dormer (1708-1758) was a merchant who studied in Saint-Omer. He was apprenticed to the trading house Porter (Bruges) and later moved to China. In 1734, he went to Antwerp, where he traded in a diverse range of products. Diamonds were his main commodity. He also set up an insurance company that carried out banking activities. His business was continued by his widow and stepson.

Access points: locations

Access points: persons, families

Access points: subject terms

Access points: document types

System of arrangement

The collection is organised according to the types of documents: inventory, invoices, letters (arranged chronologically) and commercial correspondence received.

Access, restrictions

The access to the collection is protected as a Flemish masterpiece. Some pieces are available for consultation only under supervision. Appointments should be made via stadarchief@antwerpen.be.

Finding aids

Finding aids available in the reading room:
James Dormer, Keizerlijke en Koninklijke Verzekeringskamer te Antwerpen. Inventory (100#2754)

Links to finding aids

Author of the description

Kevin Soares, 2022

Bibliography

Item sets

Linked resources

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is part (item) of
Title Alternate label Class
FelixArchief (Stadsarchief Antwerpen) Collections (official language of the state)