The Museum, also known as the Tassenmuseum Hendrikje, is located in a very large, exquisitely refurbished 17th century canal house in the most exclusive neighborhood in Amsterdam. The building alone, with its masterpiece paintings on the ceiling, custom woodwork, gorgeous gardens etc is a wonderful place just to enter.
But considering it houses the largest and most famous collection of bags, purses, and associated treasures in the world, well, Sigrid did not need to ask us twice. In fact, there was a good amount of pinching going around after she made her generous offer to host.
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The festivities began a day earlier than usual; Thursday afternoon instead of Friday, because who wants to come to Amsterdam for a simple weekend? There were hugs all around as we were greeted with delicious beverages, hors d’oeuvres and delightful servers. Gasps could also be plainly heard at our stunning surroundings. We were even free to roam the museum at our leisure, including after it closed at 5 p.m.
The first of many surprises came our way at the Welcome Reception… we had guests of honor Heinz and Hendrikje Ivo, the collectors who started it all, and Sigrid’s parents!!! It was immediately obvious where Sigrid got her wit, charm and humor.
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By 6 p.m., we were ushered into the Large Period Room with its stunning views of the canal, high ceilings, lush furniture and appointments. The tables were beautifully set as if for the Queen’s Tea, and on every chair, a Welcome To Amsterdam Bag.
The beautiful and reusable zippered tote was from the Museum shop and contained an informative book about the collection, postcards, decorative napkins, candy, a special lens cloth, a divine purse-shaped truffle, Amsterdam information, maps and more.
Dinner created a legion of Indonesian food addicts. I would not be shocked if I heard that vials of peanut sauce were snuck out in the Welcome Bags. It has no duplicate. My sister and I spent the rest of the trip seeking out Indonesian food everywhere we could.
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It was also so much fun, as the group organizer on the outside of Amsterdam, to finally meet Liza, Sigrid’s talented assistant, with whom I worked for nearly a year. Her dedication and eagerness to please was evident in every detail.
After welcoming and opening remarks by both Sigrid and me, our Key Speaker Bettina Levin was introduced. Her presentation on the history of beaded bags, both verbal and PowerPoint, was professional, educational and entertaining. Even after all the buildup, she did not disappoint. The first day ended a resounding success.
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Day Two began with something money cannot buy; a behind-the-scenes-tour of Rijksmuseum treasures. The Rijksmuseum is the national museum of Holland. It is dedicated to the art and history of the Netherlands. After being closed for renovation for 10 years, it only JUST reopened last year and is obviously a very hot ticket.
Where we got to go entailed very tight security. Passports, badges, escorts, bulletproof glass, all precautions were taken. Our hosts took us to a private section upstairs where laid out on special tables was a selection of their finest pieces chosen just for us. It would be too hard to try and describe each amazing artwork so I will let the pictures speak for themselves. We got to ask questions, look inside them, share information, and more. We felt like honored and respected experts and certainly as a group we are!
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Afterwards, we reconvened at the Tassenmuseum for a delicious lunch, again in the period rooms with their stunning views of the Herengracht canal. The neighborhood is such that the brand new Waldorf Astoria opened up directly across.
The cafe in the museum is simply delightful. The public areas were constantly filled not only with tourists, but also local Amsterdamers lunching there for the unique atmosphere and menu. Sigrid’s staff obviously took great pride in everything they did and served.
The afternoon was rounded out with a Grand Tour of the museum by Sigrid herself. As an art historian and author on the subject, we could not have had a better guide. I could see strangers around us wondering who we were to have gotten so lucky.
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If you were one of the members who was not able to attend, I encourage you to go online and buy a copy of her book, “Bags” as there are excellent photos and detailed descriptions written by Sigrid. And some of the pieces, including my favorite, inspired modern objects for sale in the benchmark museum shop. I picked up a precious makeup bag with its image, and it is safe to say there were many full Tassenmuseum Giftshop bags being carried about.
The Grand Tour included an exclusive visit to the private storage area of the museum where shelves were loaded with specially labeled boxes containing items not currently on display. Sigrid shared interesting factoids, and let us take pictures to our hearts content.
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Dinner that evening was preceded by a different kind of tour, also provided by Sigrid. She took us through the heart of Amsterdam by foot, pointing out fascinating sights along the way, and entertaining us with recent tales and ancient lore.
For our second surprise, we stopped in the heart of the old town, at a famous and historic restaurant/bar for some Dutch nibbles and beverages. The bitterballs and beer I had were delectable, and the atmosphere cried out for a return visit. Our walking tour ended at the large canal in front of the Central Station just in time for our dinner cruise.
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Approximately 50 of us boarded a large canal boat, fully decked out for fine dining with a large crew to navigate, inform and serve us. A full dinner, with wine, etc was provided and the weather could not have been better. In fact, from the moment we arrived, it was sunny and mid-70’s for the duration.
Many cameras were clicking away so please enjoy the dozens of photos of our adventure.
It was a long and splendid day, and I believe most people headed directly back to their hotels, except for perhaps a few thrill seekers who checked out the Red Light District.
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Day Three started off at our home base, the Tassenmuseum. One of the very special things Sigrid and her staff did, was reserve the small Period Room just for us for all four days so we would always have a place to informally gather and mingle for impromptu visits. There were always snacks and beverages of the highest quality and many unplanned special moments happened beneath that stunning ceiling.
By 10 a.m. all were present and we gathered in the Large Period Room for a presentation by renowned beadwork expert and author Sabina Schurenberg. She wrote a book which is in many of our libraries, “Glasperlarbeiten Taschen und Beutel”. Her information was again fascinating and left all of us anxiously awaiting her next book which will be out soon. More information will be provided when we get it so you can get your hands on a copy as soon as possible. Her first book is completely sold out.
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Following Sabina was an amazing display of bead knitting by Tineke Nieuwenhuijse-Taal. She is one of the rare few who can actually perform this artistry today. You can learn more about her and see samples of her work at http://www.kralentassen.nl. She also brought some pieces for sale which were quickly snatched up by collectors who realized they were strong enough to be actually used!
Lunch and the afternoon provided a welcome break to personalize the Gathering a bit. Some could not resist the opportunity to dine once again in the museum cafe, while others headed out for street food and walk, while still others: room service and a nap.
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The evening of Day Three began with yet another of Sigrid’s surprises. We gathered at the Tassenmuseum and were escorted a few blocks away where we were picked up by… an Antique Trolley Car!!! Yes after seeing Amsterdam by boat and foot, Sigrid felt Antique Trolley Car would round out our experience and it did. It was an absolutely blast.
It took us the scenic route to our dinner restaurant, the world class Restaurant De Kas. Housed in a giant greenhouse, they grow the food on one side and serve it to you on the other.
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But before dinner we got to enjoy the exquisite weather in their lovely gardens with appetizers and specialty wine pairings. Everyone was in such high spirits and again, hundreds of photos were taken by everyone with a smartphone and the laughter was plentiful.
After a leisurely reception, we sat down in a large, stunningly decorated private area and were served a feast for the senses. Everything tasted freshly picked that day, and never has eating vegetables been so satisfying. My personal favorite: the beet soup.
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We took the Tram back, and got to experience one of the greatest gifts Amsterdam has to offer; simple, reliable, affordable public transportation. Similar to the tube in London, but above ground, I could see taking it absolutely everywhere. It does take a few days to learn the system but once you do, the city is your oyster. Some of my favorite laughs were on that tram that night. (you know who you are!)
Again, most ended the evening at that point, but a few crazy folks (we know who we are) made it over to the Red Light District. It was extremely interesting touring a neighborhood where prostitution is completely ok, legally and morally. We also got to view the Museum of Prostitution which was so unique, I took a couple of other ladies there on a subsequent night.
Day Four started off so bittersweet for many. On the one hand, it had been such a fantastic Gathering surpassing even our highest expectations. On the other hand, it was almost over.
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As in most other years, we began with a scrumptious group breakfast at the Tassenmuseum, followed by Member Show and Tell. To celebrate the Societies 10 year anniversary, rather than a purse, I brought APCS memorabilia. Our agenda from our first Annual Gathering in Seattle in 2004 with the Lucky 13. (seven of which were in Amsterdam!!!) Paula’s gift to attendees “Early Purses” from the second Gathering in Los Angeles. Naturally there was Crappy Purse Exchange Contest Winner hall of famer, the gold plastic beaded bag with broken top that Lori Blaser paid $38 for in her very early days.
There were amazing items and stories shared, and another beautiful session with Barbara Catanese on Sable beaded bags. She included a booklet with her research which is available here for members to see. One of the most startling; Cathy Kaminsky brought an identical mesh purse to one that was displayed for us at the Rijksmuseum! Well that just went up in value. 
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As is fitting for our group, celebrating a milestone anniversary of 10 years, discussion was also had regarding the future of APCS. While I have had loads of help, support and cheering from many wonderful members, the Society has grown to a size, level and depth that I had only dreamed of. And thus it is time to transition it to a broader support structure with a full voting board, rules, protections for both leaders and members, etc…
What Sigrid and her team have done with what her parents started in their living room is incredible and inspirational. I can only hope that this new effort, led by Kathy Gunderson and Jennifer Whitehair, assisted by me, will have a fraction of its success.
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To thank Sigrid and her team for all they did for us, some tokens of appreciation were distributed… Sigrid received fresh flowers, a special vintage bag, a photo book of Seattle to entice her to visit, a fancy bottle of wine and some rare Seattle toffee. Liza also received the toffee and flowers, and toffee was hand carried by me from Seattle for the rest of her leadership team as well. It could never repay all their efforts, but hopefully it was an indicator of just how much they were appreciated.
Recognition was also given to the only two people to have attended every single Gathering with me from the very beginning; Lori Blaser and Kim Stonecipher. Who would have guessed back then that we would come this far? And where will we go in the future? The adventure continues…
Thanks to all,
Melissa Overdorf
Amsterdam Gathering
The 2014 APCS Annual Gathering in Amsterdam.
