The spectrum of 17th-century tulips brought us some magnificent variations, and one of them is the “Admirael van der Eijck.” Characterized by its white petals with delicate light red stripes, this tulip is a beautiful representation of that era.
Presumably, the “Admirael van der Eijck” was cultivated by a grower named ‘Van Eijck’.
Tulips with a reference to ‘van der Eijck’ in the name were often found in the sales records of tulip bulbs. This tulip was, therefore, a well-known presence during the Tulipmania.
A specimen of the “Admirael van der Eijck’ tulip was sold for fl.1,620 guilders on February 5, 1637, which is approximately €20,525 euros today. This was precisely around the time when the famous Tulipmania imploded. When the bubble burst, it triggered a chain reaction of financial chaos among speculators and growers – many refused to settle their debts for the expensive tulip bulbs. It is quite possible that the aforementioned amount was never paid, or that numerous legal disputes resulted in a settlement.
The portrait of the “Admirael van der Eijck”, from the ‘Ninetynine Tulips’ collection, serves as the inspiration for the eponymous NFT collection. The theme of the 99 Van der Eijck NFT tulips is ‘shadow’, symbolizing how the tulip’s value diminished to a mere shadow of its former price.
Ninetynine Tulips 