Actualités Nederlandsche Vereeniging van Antiquaren
Day 2 of the 2024 ILAB Congress: Smaller collections around Amsterdam & Treasures at the Dutch Maritime Museum
Amsterdam therefore naturally possesses one of the largest maritime collections, which would be the focus of the second day of the congress.
But before congress participants began exploring the library and map collection of the world-famous Dutch Maritime Museum, the morning was spent in groups visiting various smaller collections around the city.
The editor's group had the wonderful opportunity to visit "The House of Six".
To this day a private home, lived in by the Six family, is this Burgher House also a museum, welcoming visitors to the Six Collection.
The Six family originiated from a successful cloth weaving mill business, moving the business in 1586 to Amsterdam, at the time an up-and-coming metropolis in the north of the Republic.
In 1655, Jan Six I married Margaretha Tulp, daughter of a famous doctor who later became the Mayor of Amsterdam. Jan Six had less interest in the family business but in the arts and culture. He went on the Grand Tour of Italy and was a capable writer of essays, poetry and plays. For a brief period in 1691, he even held the role of Mayor. Six I maintained relations with painters, including Rembrandt van Rijn, who painted his portrait in 1654 and produced a number of etchings and drawings of and for him. These works form the basis of the present Six Collection.
The house itself was first located on the Herengracht, but when a new railway line required the demolition of the building in 1915, the family moved the entire interior to its new location on Amstel.
Since the 17th century, the Six family have opened their house and collection, including works by Rembrandt, Paulus Potter and Saenredam, to those interested in the arts.
Arine van der Steur, part of the congress organisers' team and also the collection's archivist, was an excellent guide, sharing stories and highlights of the collection with her ILAB colleagues. Unfortunately, it was not possible to take pictures as the family still lives there. Visits can be arranged on request, more details HERE.
The family guest book apparently dates back to 1809, spanning 25 volumes and including names such as Rembrandt and Vondel, along with notable signatures such as President Roosevelt and Tsar Alexander I of Russia. It now includes the names of ILAB booksellers.
Moving on to the Maritime Museum, booksellers enjoyed a lunch in the most beautiful setting followed by the ILAB General Assembly and a lecture on maritime maps and the collections of the University of Amsterdam by Reinder Storm, curator of cartography, geography and travel at the Allard Pierson.
At every congress, the ILAB Committee finds a moment to speak to all booksellers about the work and projects occupying the League. The venue at the Maritime Museum was a great location for this meeting, presenting the newly elected ILAB Committee and a number of projects the committee and secretariat worked on over the last year. The ILAB Symposium in Paris, advocacy work with UNESCO or the European Commission on behalf of the rare book trade, initiatives to support education in our trade, the ILAB Breslauer Prize, issues on security or legal challenges. In the image below: Mats Petersson (Vice President), Scott DeWolfe, Angus O'Neill (ILAB President), Robert Frew (Treasurer), Philipp Penka, Mario Giupponi (Past President), Nicolas Malais and Dan de Simone (Secretary of the ILAB Breslauer Prize for Bibliography).
In the first decades, until the 1950s, the library collected mainly books, atlases and globes. Mr Wilderman is proud to say that a survey carried out a few years ago ranked the museum's maritime collection fourth in the world, behind the extensive collections of the British Library, the University of Amsterdam and the Library of Congress.
A catalogue of the library was published in the 1960s and is still sometimes referred to. Another important catalogue refers to the collection of maritime books and manuscripts that once belonged to Willem H. Mensingh, an important Dutch book collector. His collection was acquired by the museum in the 1920s and became an important part of the museum's holdings, including 12 editions of Ptolemy. The catalogue, published at his expense, documents the books, maps and charts collected by Mensingh, with particular emphasis on maritime history, navigation, exploration and shipbuilding.
In 1989, a catalogue of books on the art of navigation was published by one of the main collectors, Ernst Crone, an important collector of maritime books and instruments.
These catalogues, although now largely digitised, remain important references for scholars and booksellers.
Mr Wilderman then kindly took the booksellers on a tour of the Museum's exhibition of the highlights of the collection.
After a wonderful dinner at the museum, ILAB booksellers left this memorable venue through the contemporary courtyard with its roof, only finished in 2021, which represents a compass rose or star map, symbolizing navigation and maritime exploration.
A striking ending to this remarkable day.
