Abraham de Verwer (Haarlem 1585-1650 Amsterdam)

The present shipyard has traditionally been identified as located in Middelburg. Middelburg was, apart from Amsterdam, the second important harbour town in the first half of the 17th century, the economic peak of the trade and fishing industry in the United Provinces. Many trade ships from England and France moored here, and the West Indian Company and the VOC (the 'Admiraliteit') had their own yards at the Dokhaven. The flag in the foreground with its eagle coat-of-arms with yellow tower, in fact, closely resembles that of Middelburg's own VOC yard.