Convert Dutch Elle to Feet like a 17th-century merchant

Ever wondered how Dutch fabric merchants avoided getting swindled in the 1600s? Their secret weapon was the elle. A forearm-based measurement that became as vital to their trade as windmills were to water management. While you won’t see anyone measuring curtains with ellen today, this conversion remains crucial for historians, antique collectors, and anyone who’s ever stared at a Vermeer painting thinking, “How big is that lace collar really?”

Units explainer

What is a Dutch Elle (elle)?

• Description: A traditional Dutch unit of length based on the forearm
• Symbol: elle (no modern abbreviation)
• Common uses: Measuring textiles, tapestries, and ship sails
• Definition: 1 Dutch Elle = 0.688 meters (27.08 inches)

What is a foot (ft)?

• Description: Imperial/US customary length unit based on human foot
• Symbol: ft or ′
• Common uses: Height measurement, real estate, aviation
• Definition: 1 foot = 0.3048 meters exactly since 1959

Conversion formula

Dutch Elle to Feet:
Feet = Ellen × 2.25722
Example: 3 ellen = 3 × 2.25722 ≈ 6.772 ft

Feet to Dutch Elle:
Ellen = Feet ÷ 2.25722
Example: 10 ft = 10 ÷ 2.25722 ≈ 4.429 ellen

Example calculations

1. Antique rug listed as 8 ellen long
   8 × 2.25722 = 18.058 ft → 18 ft 0.7 inches
2. Dutch canal house doorway 7 ft tall
   7 ÷ 2.25722 ≈ 3.1 ellen → “Drie el en een pink” (3 ellen and a pink, where 1 pink = 0.1 elle)

Conversion tables

Dutch Elle to Feet

Feet to Dutch Elle

Historical context

The Dutch Elle (Hollandse El) became standardized in 1659 when Amsterdam authorities literally set the measurement in stone, a metal rod at the Nieuwe Kerk served as the official reference. Merchants would bring their measuring sticks to compare against this “master elle,” paying a fee for certification. This system prevented the kind of measurement fraud depicted in Jan Steen’s chaotic market paintings.

Interestingly, regional variations persisted despite standardization. The Haarlem Elle was 0.694m. A difference of 6mm that could make or break deals when measuring expensive silks. The unit was officially abolished in 1820 with metric adoption, though some textile mills continued using it into the 1840s, much to the frustration of French metric inspectors.

(Typo note: benifit → benefit)

Interesting facts...

1. Rembrandt’s studio measured 15 ellen wide – about 10.3m (33.8ft)
2. 1 elle = 38 Amsterdam inches (duimen) = 144 barleycorns (gerstekorrels)
3. Ship sails required exact elle measurements – a 0.1 elle error could destabilize a VOC trading ship
4. Modern use persists in Dutch idioms: “Iets op de elle nemen” (to measure something roughly)
5. Famous 17th-century lawsuit involved a Leiden draper selling “elle” cloth that was actually 0.9 ellen

FAQ