Ruys's Bird of Paradise … in English and Dutch (1 Viewer)

Björn Bergenholtz · Sep 21, 2015

I´m trying to trace the commemorated, mysterious Mr. Ruys …

● in the extremely rare or possibly extinct "Neoparadisea ruysi" VAN OORT 1906 (here) by some simply considered a hybrid (Cicinnurus m. magnificus x Paradisaea m. minor) a k a "Ruys' Bird of Paradise"

Mr. Th. H. Ruys, who stayed during four years for commercial purposes at the north-west coast of New Guinea, presented at his return in Holland …

On top of that, this far; I´ve only managed:

= the almost unknown (as his Bird of Paradise!) Dutch Merchant Mr. (Heer) "Th. H. Ruys", "agent der Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschappij (te Doreh), who visited New Guinea for four years. He was in some way connected to the "Rotterdamsche Museum …", collector of both Naturalia and ethnographical items, and Author of the Book Bezoek aan den kannibalenstam van Noord Nieuw-Guinea 1906.

That´s all!

Also see the following note by van Oort 1907 (here).

Maybe something is understood (if you know the language!?) from the following links; here (p.35), here (top p.346), here (pp.8, 21, 256), here, here, here and here (the latter with some of his Photos from NG)! And the following link (with a possible typo; "H. H. Ruys"!?), here.

His full name seems to be totally unknown? At least to me. And he´s nowhere to be found. Or?

Jobling 2010 (attached). And the entry in today's HBW Alive Key tells us:

ruysi
Theodor H. Ruys (fl. 1905) Dutch resident in the East Indies and New Guinea (Neoparadisea).

James, where did you find "resident"? And "Theodor"?

Could his name possibly have been "Theodorus"? It seems a more common form in Dutch? And could he maybe have been one of the Sons of the Dutch firm Willem Ruys & Zoonen, here, in some way connected to the company Lloyds)? Just guesses!

Justin, if you´re still around "out here"!? You always seem to know the Dutch persons appearing in this Forum. Any idea on "Th. H. Ruys"?
---

Taphrospilus · Sep 22, 2015

Maybe if you check his publication...

Bezoek aan den kannibalenstam van Noord Nieuw-Guinea, Koninklijk Nederlands Aardrijkskundig Genootschap, Vol. XXIII. 1906, 320-321 (not really a book as mentioned above)?

I found as well:

In der Gesellschaft von LORENTZ fuhr ich nachmittags in einem Boote längs des Strandes an Kwawi vorbei nach Ambrobido, wo Herr Th. H. Ruys, der kaufmännische Vertreter der Utrechter Missionsgesellschaft, wohnte, da es LORENTZ interessirte die angekauften und für den Export bestimmten Vogelbälge zu besichtigen.

See here.

So he was part of the Utrecht Mission society not as missionary but for econimical reasons.

There is a 1962 publication:

Theodor Ruys of the Royal Moerheim Nurseries at Dedemsvaart in Holland, breeders of 'Pink Sensation', white 'Moerheimi', and yellow 'Golden Gown'

But I have no clue if the horiculturist Theodor Ruys has anything to do with this bird. This one is somehow related to Moerheim Nurseries

rollie_nl · Sep 22, 2015

Having been a lurker for far too long, it is perhaps now time 'to pay my dues'... Having said that, this Th. H. Ruys is a difficult person to track down.

First, H.H. Ruys is obviously a misspelling.
Second, Th as an abbreviation stands for Theo/Theodoor/Theodorus and the like in Dutch. So James is probably right in this. Note that in the Netherlands it is probably with double-o.
Third, he was agent of the KPM or Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschappij , which is indeed a successor of the Dutch firm Willem Ruys & Zoonen. I found that the former workers of the firm have their own website (http://www.kpm1888.nl/index.html) but could not find the name of Th. H. Ruys there. The KPM should not be confused with the Koninklijke Petroleum Maatschappij, or present-day Shell!

The Utrechter Missionsgesellschaft may in fact be the UZV, or Utrechtse Zendings Vereniging. An important name with the UZV is Van Hasselt.

It is no coincidence if Ruys is both connected to KPM and UZV as the first regular service of KPM-steamers was to Doreh where the missionaires already lived for several years. It made Doreh an obvious endpoint of a regular service. On page 16 of this document (http://www.papuaerfgoed.org/files/MMPACE01_AF1_DO-140-141.pdf) Ruys is however mentioned as zendeling-handelaar (missionary/merchant) between 1902-1905.

I read the paper Taphrospilus refers to (it is not a book), but this contains no new information. I did note in the OD by Van Oord that Ruys returned to the Netherlands in 1905/1906 after which he donated the bird of paradise. This date coincided well with the quoted tenure at Doreh between 1902-1905.

Oh well, only snippets of new information I am afraid. Ruys really is difficult to track down...

Fred Ruhe · Sep 22, 2015

I would like to add to Rolands contribution that a missionaris is a Roman-Catholic missonary, a zendeling is a Protestant missionary.

Fred

rollie_nl · Sep 22, 2015

More Ruys

Further on Th. H. Ruys: the only person I can find with these initials is Theodorus Hilbert Ruys (see page 433 in https://ia600802.us.archive.org/23/items/Patriciaat2-1911/02_1911.PDF). If this is our man, then the following data is relevant. He was born on 16 March 1880 at Scherpenzeel (the Netherlands). Other sources indicate that this person died on 22 July 1942 at Oegstgeest (which is very near Leiden): see https://www.genealogieonline.nl/genealogie-koek/I13141.php.

He and his family were protestant and this accords with the religion of UZV.

I may be totally wrong of course with this man, so hopefully somebody can link this information to the Ruys of the KPM or the UZV. Both organizations should have large archives?

Taphrospilus · Sep 22, 2015

Theodoor Hilbert Ruys

Found this guy as well as Theodoor Hilbert Ruys in Nederlandsche staats-courant. Bijvoegsel [No.2] Akten Betreffende Naamlooze Bennootschappen en de Daarbij Behoorende Besluiten van Bewilliging page 528. See snipit attached:

den heer Theodoor Hilbert Ruys koopmann, wonende te Rotterdam

Xenospiza · Sep 22, 2015

Unfortunately, a Theodorus H. Ruys died in the US earlier this year. He may have been a close relative, as he was born in Indonesia. As first names in the Netherlands tended to be very constant within families, I assume "our" Th. H. Ruys would have had the same first names.

JustinJansen · Sep 22, 2015

RUYS, Theodoor Hilbert – Dutch. B. 16.03.1880, Scherpenzeel, Gld. - D. 22-07-1942, Oegstgeest, Zh. Son from Albertus Johannes Ruijs (ca. 1853; 1939) and Dorothea Voorhoeve (ca. 1854; 1948), and was married with Wilhelmina Martina Antoinetta Hoijen, and they became two children. Lived by 1905-06 at Oegstgeest (ZH). Collected during August / September 1905 at Geelvink Bay, Papua New Guinea. After four years here (Doreh) he went home. At least 5 birds are at Naturalis that arrived at 19 april 1905.
He published indeed in 1906. Bezoek aan den kannibalenstam van Noord Nieuw-Guinea. Amsterdam, K.N.A.G.
Some information is in: Snelleman, Joh.F., 1906. Siermotieven uit Geelvinckbaai. --- Rotterdam; 2). Fuller, E., 1995. The Lost Birds of Paradise. --- Shrewsbury.

Björn Bergenholtz · Sep 23, 2015

Thanks guys!

Justin, you sure deliver! As always.

And "Rollie", welcome (in the open) to the Bird Name Etymology "Club". Quite an entrance, you did find the right trace to follow!

Thereby, in short:

● the extremely rare or possibly extinct "Neoparadisea ruysi" VAN OORT 1906 (OD, in Post #1) by some simply considered a hybrid (Cicinnurus m. magnificus x Paradisaea m. minor) a k a "Ruys' Bird of Paradise"
= the Dutch Missionary-Merchant Mr. (Heer) Theodoor Hilbert Ruys (1880–1942), "agent der Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschappij", who resided in Doreh, New Guinea for four years (1902–1905), collector of both Naturalia and ethnographical items.

[And author of the article (12 pages) Bezoek aan den kannibalenstam van Noord Nieuw-Guinea in the periodical Koninklijk Nederlands Aardrijkskundig Genootschap, Vol. XXIII: pp. 320-331. (Later extracted and sold as a booklet)]

That´ll do.

H. [Heer] Ruys, Mr. Ruys … over and out!
---

Björn Bergenholtz · Jan 29, 2017

One short question, since this guy is mentioned in this thread (and that several Dutch readers already have participated), this time regarding: Mr. van Hasselt.

In my (Swedish) MS I have him (written ages ago) as: Johan Coenraad van Hasselt (1797–1823), but now I noted that today's HBW Alive Key writes it slightly different:

hasselti / hasseltii
Dr Johan Coenraat van Hasselt (1797-1823) Dutch surgeon-naturalist on Java 1820-1823 (syn. Anthus rufulus malayensis, subsp. Ficedula westermanni, syn. Leptocoma sperata brasiliana).

Anyone know either way, for sure, regarding Coenraa....
:scribe:

Fred Ruhe · Jan 30, 2017

Calalp wrote: "Anyone know either way, for sure, regarding Coenraa...."

In the 18th and start of the 19th century the Dutch spelling was not yet formalized, so both spellings are correct, remember a "d" at the end of a word is pronounced as a "t", even in my name.

Fred

Björn Bergenholtz · Jan 30, 2017

Thanks ... "Fret" (!?)

... however; considering the Latin versions of his name; "IOANNIS CONRADI VAN HASSELT" (here) alt. "IOANNAES CONRADUS VAN HASSELT" (here) I will stick with the spelling: Johan Coenraad van Hasselt.

That´ll do.

Fred Ruhe · Jan 30, 2017

Coenradt and Coenraadt are also corret ways to spell the name and perhaps there are more ways, so you can use whatever you want, only when spellingrules are introduced we (try) to stick to one spelling, but of course not for names before those rules

Fred

P.S. to complicate things: verbs with a stem ending on a "d" get a "dt" in second and third person singular, with the exception that when the subject is second person singular is placed behind the verb, you only write a "d", so jij wordt, hij wordt, word jij and wordt hij! In pronouncing you won't hear any difference. So you see: written Dutch is very simple.

JustinJansen · Jan 30, 2017

In the biography by Charles Klaver 2007 on Kuhl and van Hasselt. He quotes the name at page 35 as Johan Conrad van Hasselt using the family authoritative genealogy as reference, in Note 1. He used the same name throughout the whole book, except for some pages when the name Coenraad is employed. So by authority of Klaver, C. 2007. The Life and Work of Heinrich Kuhl (1797-1821) and Johan Conrad Van Hasselt (1797-1823), Students of Prof. Theodorus Van Swinderen Charles Klaver. Barkhuis, Groningen, the name should be Johan Conrad van Hasselt.

janvanderbrugge · Jan 31, 2017

Hi Justin, Björn, Fred,
Justin's quotation of the biography by Charles Klaver gives two family names which contain the preposition VAN. I cannot judge whether these names are spelled in the book as given here, but for Björn and other non-Dutch readers I can only add: it is a Belgian custom to spell such names with capital Van, and such names are normally catalogued under V in Belgium. Not so in Holland. In the Netherlands we have the custom to write all similar names without capitals to the prepositions, and only a capital to the last part of the name. I can use my own name as an example: not J. Van der Brugge, as it would be written in Belgium, but: J. van der Brugge. If the initials are skipped, it is usance to write Van der Brugge. So one should quote: Van Hasselt (or Mr. Van Hasselt) was a student of (Professor) Van Swinderen. However: Johan Conrad van Hasselt was a student of Theodorus van Swinderen. Apparently, Charles Klaver is not or has not been aware of this difference; his spelling gives the impression that Van Hasselt and Van Swinderen might have been Belgian, which is not the case.
So, Björn, use the right version of our idiom, it suffers a lot from abuse (by Dutch people) as it is nowadays ...
Funny you wrote Fred's name as Fret, caused by his own explanation of Dutch spelling rules and pronunciation!
Well, Fred is from Frederik of course, and a fret is a ferret, beautiful little animal, which might be somewhat aggressive . . . Well, let us keep up some room for (decent) fun, in all this historical and grammatical stuff!
Cheers,
Jan van der Brugge

Björn Bergenholtz · Jan 31, 2017

A certain Johan Conrad van Hasselt, was baptised (Doopdatum) 2 July 1797 (here, bottom p.76/141, or see attached excerpt), Son of Barthold van Hasselt and Bernardina Antonia Rasch.

No Birth certificate found, but as "our" Johan C. van Hasselt was (or at least is claimed to have been) born 24 June 1797, in Doesburg, in the province Gelderland, eastern part of the Netherlands, it ought to be him ... doesn´t it?

Anyone think otherwise?
--

l_raty · Jan 31, 2017

JustinJansen said:
So by authority of Klaver, C. 2007. The Life and Work of Heinrich Kuhl (1797-1821) and Johan Conrad Van Hasselt (1797-1823), Students of Prof. Theodorus Van Swinderen Charles Klaver. Barkhuis, Groningen, the name should be Johan Conrad van Hasselt.

[This], thus.
But, strangely, Google gave me a preview of this page the first time I tried to view it, then declared it out of reach. Anyway, the text (last part of Note 1, p. 43) says:

In most literature the second Christian name of Van Hasselt is often quoted as “Coenraad”. However, in his authoritative genealogy of the Van Hasselt family Wijnaendts van Resandt (1963: 142) established the name to be “Conrad”. This is also corroborated by other official documents as, for instance, Album (1915: 267). Consequently, in this paper I shall use Conrad as the proper name, except, of course, in quotations that employed the name Coenraad.

(Note that Klaver, actually, does follow the Dutch conventions: 'Inseparable friends in life and death. The life and work of Heinrich Kuhl (1797-1821) and Johan Conrad van Hasselt (1797-1823), students of prof. Theodorus van Swinderen.' [Google Books] [and possibly other reference lists] depart from it, probably because they capitalized blindly every word in the title that did not look like an English article, conjunction or preposition.)

l_raty · Jan 31, 2017

Calalp said:
A certain Johan Conrad van Hasselt, was baptised (Doopdatum) 2 July 1797 (here, bottom p.76/141, or see attached excerpt), Son of Barthold van Hasselt and Bernardina Antonia Rasch.

No Birth certificate found, but as "our" Johan C. van Hasselt was (or at least is claimed to have been) born 24 June 1797, in Doesburg, in the province Gelderland, eastern part of the Netherlands, it ought to be him ... doesn´t it?

Klaver:

Johan Conrad van Hasselt was born in Doesburg, The Netherlands on 26 june 1797 (note 3) as the fifth of eight children of Barthold van Hasselt (1741-1819) and Bernardina Antonia Rasch (1767-1849) (Wijnaendts van Resandt, 1963: 140 and Wildeman, 1911a: 80 and 1911b: 240; fig. 4).

The discussion in 'note 3' is on [pp. 44-45], which seem to be consistently viewable as part of the preview.

Taphrospilus · Apr 22, 2021

Björn Bergenholtz said:
Thereby, in short:

● the extremely rare or possibly extinct "Neoparadisea ruysi" VAN OORT 1906 (OD, in Post #1) by some simply considered a hybrid (Cicinnurus m. magnificus x Paradisaea m. minor) a k a "Ruys' Bird of Paradise"
= the Dutch Missionary-Merchant Mr. (Heer) Theodoor Hilbert Ruys (1880–1942), "agent der Koninklijke Paketvaart Maatschappij", who resided in Doreh, New Guinea for four years (1902–1905), collector of both Naturalia and ethnographical items.

Just what The Eponym Dictionary of Birds claims (nothing new):

Ruys's Bird-of-Paradise Neoparadisea ruysi van Oort, 1906 NCR [Presumed hybrid: Paradisaea minorx Diphyllodes magnificus]
Theodor H. Ruys (DNF) was a Dutch traveller who spent four years in New Guinea 'for commercial purposes' in the early years of the 20th century. He obtained the type (and unique) specimen of this bird-of-paradise and presented it to the Leiden Museum, The Netherlands. The 'species' is now regarded as a hybrid between the Lesser Bird-of-Paradise and the Magnificent Bird-of-Paradise.

Ruys's Bird of Paradise … in English and Dutch (1 Viewer)

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