Complete set of the original series of this historical and literary almanac for Zeelandic Flanders, mainly edited by Johan Hendrik van Dale (1828-1872), schoolmaster at Sluis, whose name has become immortal as the composer of the first scholarly Dutch dictionary: De grote Van Dale. Apart from some traditional elements belonging to the almanac, including a preface, calendar, feast days, birthdays of the royal family, eclipses, tide-tables and market days, the volumes contain historical accounts of important regional figures and events, descriptions of local legends, and short stories and poems from local authors. The first four volumes focus exclusively on Zeelandic Flanders, and the final two on all of Zeeland. The plates include views of the tower and town hall at Sluis, the Church of St. Bavo at Aardenburg, Castle Windenburg in Dreischoor, and a portrait of Colonel Joseph Ledel.
The fourth volume is of particular interest, because it includes the original invoice. The volume was bought from the well-known Amsterdam bookseller Frederik Muller on May 8 (1857), by the Dutch Mennonite banker and art collector Christiaan Pieter van Eeghen (1816-1889), because he was particularly interested in the first article of the work, on the Mennonite minister Ghysel Hebberecht (17th century).
Volume 4 with the original invoice for this volume loosely inserted, and the initials of Christiaan Pieter van Eeghen in pencil on the title page, a contemporary ownership annotation below the opening plate in volume 5. Some of the boards are slightly browned and stained. The leaves are somewhat browned and occasionally slightly foxed, the full-page plate in volume 5 has been mounted onto the leaf. Otherwise in good condition. Cf. Lo van Driel, Een leven in woorden. J.H. van Dale, schoolmeester, archivaris, taalkundige (2003); NNBW, 1, cols. 675-676; Vaderl. Letteroef., 1855, pp. 105-107.