Use
History: Willem Arnold Nicolaas Sikkel brought this chest on the Holland-America Line from Rotterdam to New York around the year 1900. Ten years later after the death of his wife, Willem returned to the Netherlands and left his two sons, Piet and Willem, and his daughter Cato behind in the United States. The sons settled in Holland, Michigan. A son of Piet (Peter) was the Mayor of that city in 1987 (Bill). The old Willem, who returned to Holland with him. The widower stayed with his daughter Betsy and her husband Jacob Homburg in Zaandam. Their young daughter Betsy used the chest for a crib 1912.
During WWI Willem Sr. grew restless again and started longing for his children in the United States. The old man saw fit to get aboard a Dutch warship and made it back to the United States unharmed by mine fields in the ocean.
The chest remained in the Netherlands however. In 1953, Bill and Tessie Homburg emigrated to Canada, but landed with SS Ryndam of the same Holland-America Line in New York. The chest was with them. Custom inspectors broke it open and did some damage.
The chest and its new owner travelled by train from New York to Toronto. From there to Vancouver and later to Terrace BC.
Some steamboat company and custom stickers from around 1900 are still visible afer the chest was repainted on the outside in the original colour. See the inside of the chest.