Internationally Authenticated with Dutch Consular Seals**
Offered here is an exceptional original 1840 land deed conveying multiple federally platted lots in Washington City, District of Columbia, executed as part of a Dutch estate settlement and authenticated through a full international consular chain. This is not a routine local deed, but a rare binational legal instrument combining early Washington real estate, foreign aristocratic ownership, and diplomatic authentication.
Executed on official Netherlands stamped paper (“30 C – Formaat Zegel”)
Bears multiple original wax seals, including red Dutch consular seal
Authenticated by:
A Dutch notary in Amsterdam
The U.S. Consul at Amsterdam
The Netherlands Consul in Washington, D.C.
Recorded and certified by William Brent, long-serving Clerk of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia
Conveys eight numbered lots across two original L’Enfant Plan squares
This layered authentication confirms the deed was intended to have full legal force both in the United States and abroad, typically required for foreign inheritance, overseas investors, or estate liquidation.
The deed conveys land situated in the City of Washington, District of Columbia, consisting of:
Square 484: Lots 1 and 7
Square 516: Lots 1, 9, 11, 13, 15, and 27
These squares were part of the original federal city plan. The lots no longer exist as discrete parcels today, having been subdivided and absorbed into later urban development, which is typical for pre-Civil War Washington property.
Clerk of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia (1805–1843)
William Brent was among the most influential legal clerks in early Washington, D.C. A nephew of John Carroll, Brent moved comfortably within the political and administrative elite of the early federal city. He served on the municipal council, held militia rank, and briefly acted as a temporary secretary to Thomas Jefferson, placing him directly within the Jefferson-era executive administration.
Brent’s endorsement confirms that this deed was formally examined and entered into the official Washington County land records, not merely privately drafted. His unusually long tenure makes his signature a recognized marker of institutional authority and authenticity on early D.C. legal instruments.
Consul of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Washington, D.C.
Maarten Proost served as the officially recognized Netherlands Consul in Washington during the late 1830s and early 1840s. His certification and original red wax seal authenticate this deed for international legal recognition, elevating it from a domestic conveyance to a diplomatic-grade document.
Dutch Privy Councillor (Deceased)
The grantors act as heirs and representatives of G. J. C. A. Brandt, a Privy Councillor to the King of the Netherlands and Commander of the Order of the Netherlands Lion. His status reflects high aristocratic and governmental standing, and the transaction represents liquidation of U.S. real estate held by a Dutch elite estate.
Knight of the Order of the Netherlands Lion
Julian Daniel Crommelin, a member of a prominent Dutch mercantile and banking family, appears as a surviving heir or estate representative residing in Washington. The Crommelin family was deeply involved in international commerce and finance, particularly in Anglo-American trade.
J. Cornelissen, Notary Public, Amsterdam
J. John Gilliam van den Broek, U.S. Consul for the Port of Amsterdam
Andrew Rothwell, Washington City purchaser
J. Bond and C. P. Smith, subscribing witnesses
Together, these signatures form a textbook international authentication chain.
This Indenture made the second day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty…
…between the Heirs and Representatives of G. J. C. A. Brandt… and Andrew Rothwell of the City of Washington…
…All those certain lots or parcels of ground… numbered One and Seven in Square Four Hundred Eighty-Four… and numbered One, Nine, Eleven, Thirteen, Fifteen and Twenty-Seven in Square Five Hundred Sixteen…
Recorded among the Land Records of Washington County… having been duly examined.
William Brent, Clerk of the Circuit Court of the District of Columbia.
(Full transcription provided above; no purchase price stated, which is typical for international estate conveyances of this period.)
This document represents a rare convergence of:
Early Washington, D.C. land speculation
Dutch aristocratic ownership
International estate settlement
Multi-layer consular and judicial authentication
A recorded endorsement by one of the most important clerks in early federal history
Very few Washington deeds combine foreign nobility, diplomatic seals, and early federal administration in a single surviving instrument.
Large-format multi-page deed
Strong legibility
Multiple intact wax seals (red and black)
Embossed Netherlands revenue stamp
Expected folds and age wear only
No modern alterations
Comparable international consular-authenticated Washington deeds are scarce.