Friesland (pronounce freeze land) is one of the 13 provinces the Netherlands comprise. Friesland is a low lying country of meadows cut by small canals to keep the grass dry. In autumn when there is more precipitation the meadows flush and not much cold is necessary to freeze the thin layer of water. It lies in the northeast.
The original inhabitants have blood ties with the Celts. They are a bit stubborn and cult their tradition. Apart from Dutch they speak their own Fries language (which is not a Dutch dialect!).
Hence, it is not surprisingly they developed their own model of ice skates.

Detail 1 shows the fronts of Friesland skates until about 1850: a hand forced sharp pin. Because this pin easily caused wounds it was rounded as is shown in detail 2. By the end of the 19th century when the blacksmiths began using parts made by the German metalworking industry brass acorn finials were introduced (detail 3). Around 1920 the acorns were replaced by small hand cut curls (detail 4). At last the laborious curls were skipped and all that lasted was a simple rounded piece of wood as shown in detail 5.
 

Fig.2: Friesland speed skates, around 1880
Contrary to 'old' Friesland ice skates the blades of these skates run until the end of (and sometimes beyond) the platforms making them both faster and safer. They required a different method of braking which was done by sliding sideward and scraping the ice in stead of scratching it. This is standing practice nowadays

Manufacturer: unknown
Mark: none

Technical data:
total length: 40.5 cm; height over ice: 3.3 cm;
platforms: 28 cm long, 5 cm wide;
runner blades: 15 mm tall, 2.5 mm thick;
weight: 240 g