The modern manuscripts collection comprises some 5,000 book manuscripts (including c.470 alba amicorum) and 130,000 letters. This page provides links to descriptions of the individual collections.

Alba amicorum

The KB collection of c.470 (fragments of) alba amicorum and poetry albums covers the period from 1556 and is the largest public collection in the Netherlands.

Letters

The KB has an estimated 125,000 to 150,000 letters from the middle of the sixteenth century to the present, the majority dating from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.

   

Bogaers

In 1870 the KB acquired more than two meters of manuscripts and c.3,500 early printed books from the library of lawyer and man of letters Adriaan Bogaers.

Cornets de Groot

The Cornets-De Groot family archive contains documents related to the (Cornets) De Groot family, and in particular to its most famous member, the lawyer Hugo de Groot (1583-1645).

   

Cremer

The collection of manuscripts of writer Jacob Jan Cremer (1827-1880) entered the KB in 1952 and comprises letters, drafts, and drawings.

Cuper

The papers of Gijsbert Cuper (1644-1716), professor of classical languages and rector of the Athenaeum at Deventer, largely consist of his correspondence.

   

Huygens

The Huygens collection comprises the literary estate of Constantijn Huygens (1596-1687) and his descendants, among others his son Constantijn Huygens jr. (1628-1697)..

Immerzeel

The Immerzeel collection consists of letters to the bookseller and man of letters Joh. Immerzeel Jr. (1776-1841), publisher of the Nederlandsche Muzen-almanak.

   

Marsman

The Marsman archive coprises the correspondence, proofs, annotated books, offprints and reviews of the work of the Dutch poet Hendrik Marsman (1899-1940).

Kloos / Nieuwe gids

After the death of the poet Willem Kloos (1859-1938), his library was transferred to the KB. Pièce de resistance of the collection is the archive of the literary periodical De nieuwe gids.

   

Perk

The manuscripts of and concerning Jacques Perk (1859-1881) contain variant versions of his famous sonnet cycle Mathilde, and different versions of the poem Iris.

Pijper

Willem Pijper (1894-1947) was a composer, conductor and publicist. The collection comprises correspondence, original scores, concert programmes and reviews.

   

Schoemaker

The ‘atlas’ of Andries Schoemaker (1660-1735) consists of topographical descriptions with drawn townscapes, coats of arms, coins, seals and traditional costumes.

Sierksma

The archive of the theologian, essay writer and poet Fokke Sierksma (1917-1977) was acquired in 1987 and consists of lecture notes, poems, essays, manuscripts and letters.

   

Tollens

The Tollens collection consists of manuscripts, letters and special copies of printed works of the poet H.F. Tollens Cz. (1780-1856).

Toorop

In 1929 the KB acquired the archive of the painter Johannes Theodoor Toorop (1858-1928). Among the papers are family correspondence and letters received from other artists.

   

Te Winkel

The archive of the professor of Dutch literature Jan te Winkel (1847-1927) was transferred to the KB in 1981. It contains many letters to Te Winkel and copies of letters written by him.

Witsen

The collection of letters written to the painter, etcher, photographer and publicist Willem Witsen (1860-1923) consists of many letters from celebrities from the ‘Beweging van Tachtig’.