Amsterdam University Special Collections

The Amsterdam University holds several special collections (“bijzondere collecties”) including one for graphic design and typography.

This collection domain relates primarily to the industrial era, i.e. the period from circa 1830 onwards. It covers writing (calligraphy and type design) and the production and design of books, posters and other printing. The collection is internationally oriented collection and also includes secondary literature.

The basis for this collection domain was laid in 1958 with the acquisition of the Library of the Book Trade (Bibliotheek van het Boekenvak), an extremely broad collection on the history of the book focusing, among other things, on design and production. A major acquisition, in 1971, was the Typografische Bibliotheek (Typographical Library) of Lettergieterij Amsterdam, voorheen N. Tetterode (Type Foundry Amsterdam, formerly N. Tetterode). The core theme of this collection is the design and production of printed material, but it also contains archive material relating to fonts designed by Tetterode, including drawings by S.H. de Roos and Jan Tschichold. Besides specialist literature, the Typografische Bibliotheek also houses numerous unusual specimens: from woodcut to heliogravure and from Bodoni’s Manuale tipografico to illustrated corporate books.

Since the 1950s, the library has actively sought to acquire the archives of various designers and organisations. The acquisition of the archive of Jan van Krimpen was followed by those of Charles Jongejans, Atie Siegenbeek van Heukelom, Harry N. Sierman, Jan van Toorn and Irma Boom. This material covers a period of over a century.

Important collections: