Achterberg
Bibliophile works from the research collection
Bibliophile works from the Depository Collection
Special illustrated works from the 19th and 20th centuries
Brusse
Du Perron
Illegal editions
Koopman
Children's books
NIOD posters
History of the collection:In 1983 the decision was made to bring together the Rare and Valuable Works from the 19th and 20th centuries that stood scattered throughout the general repositories and to place them in the Special Collections repository. The collection is still being augmented through donations (most particularly the Deposit Library collection), transfer of books from the general repositories and incidental purchases.
Size:The Special Collections repository currently comprises approximately 30,000 Rare and Valuable Works from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Accessibility: The titles are listed in the alphabetical and systematic catalogues of the Koninklijke Bibliotheek. A typographical catalogue of titles acquired before 1992 is also available for reference at the department desk. In addition, works can be searched by printer or publisher in the online public catalogue (OPC). Detailed descriptions of Dutch limited editions from the period 1910-1940 can be found in the OPC as well.
The collection
The collection consists of limited and private press editions, art books, large-format illustrated books, books with unusual contents, books with hand-coloured illustrations, books made according to special printing or illustration techniques, books printed in small editions, and so-called 'hell' books -- banned books and erotica.
Literature
M. van Delft. 'Paradijs voor liefhebbers'. In: KB Centraal 24 (1995) 9, p. 9-11.
