by Wilma Nannes
In 1975, hoping to find some information about the antiquarian business, during my lunch hour
I dropped in at Beyers, the auctioneering firm, where only books and prints are brought under
the hammer. Towards the end of my visit, I was told that I was welcome to work there. I
accepted the offer on the spot, a decision I have never lived to regret. Working was an
invaluable experience.
During the three years I worked for Beyers, I saw a plethora of books of all ages ranging from
the Middle Ages to modern bibliophile. Several large libraries were auctioned during that period.
My work consisted of describing the books for the catalogues. In doing so I learned to collate
the books (verify that they are complete) and to carry out research for background information
about the books. I have seen books on every possible subject; books about theology, law,
medicine, history, biology, ethnology, and so on and so forth. This way I was able to build up
a considerable general knowledge, which has been the basis for the rest of my career.
After three years I needed the challenge of a new experience and I started working for an
internationally oriented antiquarian bookseller in Utrecht, where I worked with pleasure for
another three years.
Travel books
During the six years I had been working in the antiquarian business, I had become especially
interested in books about geography and ethnology, or, as we now say, travel books. In 1981,
when I started my own antiquarian business with my wife, I knew exactly which specialty we
would choose: travel books. We cleared the attic of our home, and set up all our bookcases and
desks there.
Our first purchase was a large library containing books on Indonesia. I described these books
for our first catalogue. The sales results from that first catalogue were good. With the money
we earned from it, we were able to purchase new assets, and this way the business slowly
started to grow. Around 1980 the interest in books and prints on Indonesia began to rise steadily
in the Netherlands and foreign universities also began to show an interest in the subject. Our
first catalogue turned out to be along the right lines.
My personal interest is in old and rare books. Seventeenth century Dutch travel books, such as
the journals or travel books of Joan Nieuhof, Wouter Schouten, Cornelis Matelief and so forth
are my greatest joy. These books are expensive, so I could not afford to specialize in this
category exclusively. Thus, the bulk of our starting stock then consisted of 19th and 20th century
scientific books.
Because I did not wish to concentrate exclusively on Indonesia, in compiling catalogue nr. 2,
I added a selection of books on the former Dutch colonies in the West, the area of the Dutch
West India Company: Surinam, the Dutch Antilles, West Africa, Dutch Brazil and New
Netherlands.
All the other areas of the Dutch East India Company were represented as well: Southeast Asia,
the Far East, Australia, and South Africa. Later on, I expanded the selection with books about
maritime history, whaling, and travel in general.
Now, 15 years later, we have grown into an international antiquarian bookshop, in which the
sales of antiquarian and scientific books about the former Dutch colonies form an important part
of our turnover. The other part consists of the 16th-19th century travel books.
Each new acquisition is collated and then described in English. A lot of attention is paid to the
description of the condition of the book, the binding and, if applicable, the artist who created
the illustrations. In the notes, we provide information about the author and the printing history
of the book, and we refer to national and international bibliographies.
Most of our books are sold through our catalogue. Five or six times a year we make a selection
from our stock and make this into a catalogue. Our entire stock of books and prints is now
stored in the computer. In the past, putting together a catalogue was a time-consuming job, but
nowadays, with computerization, it is a piece of cake.
The catalogue is mailed all over the world. Universities, libraries, and museums are our regular
customers. We also number many private collectors, in the Netherlands as well as abroad,
among our clientele.
Book fairs
Several times a year we go to special book fairs. In the Netherlands for many years we have
attended the book fair which is organized every year in February/March by the Dutch
Association of Antiquarians in Amsterdam. This fair is also open to foreign participants and has
developed into a leading international antiquarian fair. I have taken part, with varying success,
in fairs in such cities as Tokyo, Boston, New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Brussels,
Paris, London, and Cologne. I still find it fascinating to meet collectors and bibliophiles from
different countries and to listen to what makes them tick. I maintain friendly relations with many
collectors all over the world. Antiquarian fairs are the perfect occasions to meet with each other
and look at beautiful books.
Each country has its own national association of antiquarians which is affiliated to 'The
International League of Antiquarian Booksellers / Ligue Internationale de la Libraire Ancienne'.
English and French are the official languages used. It is important to be affiliated to the League,
because it is the best way to remain up to date on international developments and to keep in
contact with colleagues.
Lately, we are increasingly offering certain antiquarian books to clients personally by fax or
letter. Through many long-standing personal relations with institutes or private collectors, I am
very much aware of what is still available and what is not (yet). Most people appreciate such
personal attention, and it is convenient for me because it provides a faster turnover rate.
Publishing
There has been an enormous increase in interest in books on Indonesia and Asia. In the past,
Japan has bought a lot of antiquarian material. The Japanese have been very interested in the
'Dutch period' in Japan (1600-1850). The number of Dutch books about this period is not
excessive and the Dutch-language descriptions of Japan by Montanus, Kaempfer, Titsingh,
Overmeer Fisscher, Von Siebold and others are much in demand in Japan. Also, Dutch scientific
books which entered Japan via the island of Deshima in the harbour of Nagasaki and were
translated into Japanese are coveted objects.
In Asia studies are being carried out of buildings, mostly fortresses and churches, which are the
legacy of the Dutch East India Company. The upshot is an expanding interest being shown in
books which include descriptions and illustrations of these buildings. Photo collections which
may be used for examining the architecture or for studying the costumes and utensils are being
put together.
The last few years the demand for the work of Western artists who chose Indonesia as their theme has risen spectacularly in Asia, especially in Singapore and Indonesia. In the absence of any reference work on this subject we considered it a great challenge when we were given the opportunity to publish such a book. The book by Leo Haks and Guus Maris: Lexicon of Foreign Artists Who Visualised Indonesia (1600-1950) has turned out to be a useful tool for the librarian and for the collector. We are now nurturing plans to expand this publishing venture. We have no ambition to become a large publishing firm but once in a while we hope to produce a good scientific work, one that we and our customers will look at and use with pleasure.
The future
The acquisition of antiquarian books is becoming more difficult. We ourselves are also guilty
of helping the stream to fry up by selling to official authorities. To do this means that a book
will not appear on the market again. By selling to private collectors, the book collections will
re-enter the market with the passing of time. I have been very fortunate in the last few years
with the acquisition of several large private libraries. I hope to be able to make such a purchase
again in the future; it keeps the stock exciting.
I am not pessimistic about the future, in spite of the fact that people do not read as much as they
used to. The modern student uses computers and copying machines and hardly has the
opportunity to get acquainted with old books. Yet, one or two of them will find their way to the
bookcase; true book lovers will always exist. The group of serious collectors has dwindled, but
on a positive note, the quality of the books is now better safeguarded.
The application of computers and the Internet will never stop the true enthusiast from making
antiquarian purchases. Many museums are now presenting their collections of paintings via the
Internet and they are not being closed for lack of public interest, are they? Modern techniques
have made scientific research more accessible, but I believe that the desire to see the original
yourself, or have it in your own bookcase, will never die.
Catalogues will be sent free of charge on request
The 'Lexicon' by Haks and Maris can be ordered directly from the antiquarian.
Gert Jan Bestebreurtje, Antiquarian Bookseller
Brigittenstraat 2
P.O. Box 364
3500 AJ Utrecht
The Netherlands
Tel: +31-30-2319286
Fax: +31-30-2343362
opened every day from 9am - 6pm
On Saturday appointments by phone only.