When was the grocery store F.G. Lebbing (Amersterdam) in operation?

November 27, 2018 5:29 PM

I would like to know when the grocery store F.G. Lebbing, Prinsengracht 807, Amsterdam, was founded and when it went out of business. Prinsengracht 807 is the address appearing on an old (private) label used by this establishment. Thanks.
posted by kirsti to Grab Bag (11 answers total)

Well, haven't yet found out when it was established, but I found a record of it being renovated in 1904 on the Dutch national architecture archive Het Nieuwe Instituut (and in left column of newspaper on this site) which mentions it still being in operation in 2001. I've seen the name, but as I don't live in the neighbourhood, I don't shop there. I'll go by there next time I'm downtown and check if it still exists.

Oh, and hit Google images with Lebbing winkel. Bunch of pictures, very old and rather recent.
posted by likeso at 5:50 PM on November 27, 2018

Just missed the edit window: recent images show an antique store. Still, next time I'm in that area, I'll ask the shopkeeper. You never know.
posted by likeso at 5:54 PM on November 27, 2018

Response by poster: Great! Thanks. I found a photo of the store from 1906 on the Internet.
posted by kirsti at 5:55 PM on November 27, 2018

Response by poster: I found a photo of the label.

My collection contains this label.

Kirsti
posted by kirsti at 6:06 PM on November 27, 2018

Huh, cool! Looks like an auctioneer site here recently sold a lot containing assorted Lebbing labels.

Still can't find out when it was opened, but I've found a few mentions of the store here and there. Looking more closely at the recent pictures, I realized this building is on the corner with the Spiegelstraat, which is full of little antique stores and art dealers, and pretty much always has been since I've been here (I moved to Amsterdam in the Pleistocene). So, yes I have seen the name - which is still above the store - but I don't consciously remember ever seeing it as a running concern.
posted by likeso at 6:24 PM on November 27, 2018

Response by poster: I saw that auction site earlier today. Basically, I'm trying to determine the age of this label, so any clues, like the years of operation, will help me. The type of design suggests around 1900 to 1920, I I'm not mistaken.
posted by kirsti at 6:31 PM on November 27, 2018

Response by poster: I meant to type "If I'm not mistaken".
posted by kirsti at 6:40 PM on November 27, 2018

Best answer: The site Delpher, an archive for old Dutch newspapers, is gold for this kind of question. This is a page in an Amsterdam newspaper that states (on the left side of the page) that 'this Saturday night, two newly built stores were opened', and then it names F.G. Lebbing. That was October 1883.
posted by Ms. Next at 2:25 AM on November 28, 2018 [5 favorites]

Well done!
posted by likeso at 4:25 AM on November 28, 2018

Response by poster: Ms, Next: Brilliant! Thanks!
posted by kirsti at 5:19 AM on November 28, 2018 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: To all: Thanks for your help!!
posted by kirsti at 7:30 PM on November 29, 2018