-
oa De Van Rijckevorsel bibliotheek in het Rotterdamsch Leeskabinet
- Amsterdam University Press
- Source: Jaarboek voor Nederlandse Boekgeschiedenis, Volume 28, Issue 1, Aug 2021, p. 223 - 258
Abstract
Since 1940, the Rotterdamsch Leeskabinet’s collection includes the library of the Rotterdam Van Rijckevorsel family. The library, with a size of 3,000 titles, was formed in the nineteenth century by three generations: the entrepreneurs Abram and Huibert and the scientist Elie van Rijckevorsel. The library is a unique example of a preserved library of a Rotterdam patrician family from the nineteenth century.
This article examines the nature and composition of the library. It turns out not to be a collector’s library, but an organically grown, hybrid library, in which the professional practice, interests and social position of the family members are reflected. Functional books stood alongside rare antiquarian editions, and literature next to scientific works. Notable is the large number of books on geography, especially with regards to Dutch overseas trading areas. In order to determine whether this library is representative of book collections of Rotterdam’s elite families, more research is needed.