The instrument was handcrafted by the firm Jos Stevens from Duffel in 1891 and consisted of a two-manual instrument with an attached pedal. The organ was placed in the niche on the right side of the gallery. The console was positioned in the lower cabinet.

Around 1925, the organ was expanded with a pedal in the niche on the left side of the gallery. At the same time, the console was moved to the center of the gallery. The mechanical action to both manuals was modified. The new pedal windchest for the Subbass 16’ and the Bombarde 16’ was fitted with pneumatic action. An electric fan was also installed at that time so that manual pumping was no longer necessary.

The original organ, located in the right organ chamber, is relatively well preserved; much of the original pipework, windchests, and mechanical action are still present. The original wind supply, featuring a large double-fold reservoir bellows and two feeder bellows underneath, is also still present. From the reservoir bellows, the playing wind is guided through wooden wind channels to the two bellows near the wind chests of the first and second manual.

The wind supply is being restored. The leather is torn, the channels are infested with woodworm, connections are leaking, and the wind regulation is broken. The mechanical action will be repaired and re-adjusted. The currently non-functioning pneumatic action and chest will be repaired. In addition to a general cleaning, the pipework will be inspected and repaired where necessary.

On Monday, May 4, as many organ enthusiasts know by now, we began the dismantling work of the Positif of the large organ (IV/P, 80 stops) in the Nieuwe Kerk in Katwijk aan Zee.

After 44 years of intensive use, the organ will undergo a major overhaul in several phases over the coming two years. The first phase involves the Positif with 18 independent stops. A photo report of the dismantling work follows below.

Unfortunately, in recent years, without the client's knowledge (or consent), significant changes have been made to the pipework and voicing, among other things. These works were not carried out by the organ builder responsible for the regular maintenance of the organ.

However, we are very grateful that the church wardens, the organ committee, and the current organist(s) of the organ in the Nieuwe Kerk have decided to restore the sound of the organ to the state in which we delivered it in 1983.

The Van Vulpen organ in De Hoeksteen in Zwijndrecht was sold by us to the chapel at the St. Valentinushaus in Kiedrich on the Rhine. The client desired various modifications and additions:

1. The bellow was releathered.
2. The interior of the organ was cleaned and the mold deposits removed.
3. The Quint 2 2/3' was expanded with a Tierce 1 3/5' in the treble.
4. The transmission of the Subbass 16' and the Holpijp 8' was removed and 12 new pipes (in oak) were added.
5. The Subbass 16' was originally positioned against the rear wall of the organ case. To tune the organ, these pipes had to be removed first. The Subbass pipes are now housed in an oak case and on a new windchest for the Subbass 16' and an Open 8' (the consultant involved, Dr. Markus Frank Hollingshaus, had an Octave Bass 8' available from a recently restored organ).
6. The key and register action of the pedal was modified and expanded, and a passage was created between the main case and the pedal. The organ is now easily accessible for maintenance and tuning.
7. A new bellow with regulation was made for the pedal, because the original wind supply had already proven insufficient in Zwijndrecht when using the lowest notes of the Subbass.
8. The entire organ was placed on a raised platform.
9. The organ in Kiedrich was recently installed and completed. Subsequently, the instrument was inspected by organ consultant Dr. Markus Frank Hollingshaus.

For pictures click here.

The organ for sale was built (in 1972) by Jos Vermeulen for the St. Laurentius Church in Voorschoten. It served in this church as choir organ. When the church was restored in 1994, the organ was moved to the side aisle of the church. Flentrop maintained the organ there. In 2005, the organ was moved to the St. Luke’s Church in Vlaardingen. This church was recently sold, and the organ was dismantled by Van den Heuvel and re-assembled in one of their assembly-halls in Dordrecht.

Download the brochure with detailed information.

For futher information:
Jan L. van den Heuvel – Orgelbouw bv
Amstelwijckweg 44
3316 BB Dordrecht
T: +31 78 6179540
E: