= Remarkable, extensive collection of autographs of Dutch politicians, i.a. by J.R. THORBECKE (1798-1872), autograph fold. manuscript doctor's degree. Signed by J.R. Thorbecke as "Minister van Binnenlandsche Zaken"; H. COLIJN (1869-1944), autograph signed letter to "Geachte heer Kieft", fold. leaf; W. DREES (1886-1988), autograph signed card, recto only, w. orig. envelope; J.C. TERLOUW (1931-2025), autograph signed dedication card, recto only; A. PECHTOLD (b.1965), autograph signed dedication card, recto only; F. BOLKESTEIN (1933-2025), signature on a type-script card, recto only; W. KOK (1938-2018), autograph signed type-script letter and signature on an orig. photograph; E. BORST-EILERS (1932-2014), signature on verso of an orig. photograph, recto only; A. MELKERT (b.1956), signature on an orig. photograph; J.P. BALKENENDE (b.1956), signature on an orig. photograph; W.K.N. SCHMELZER (1921-2008), autograph signed dedication on card, recto only and ROEL VAN DUIJN (b.1943), autograph signed dedication on card, recto only, w. orig. envelope.

= Two documents on the sale of property on the Kruisstraat, Haarlem (dated 1699 and 1706); one document concerns the sale of an "erf" in Maarschenveen and one manuscript and letterpress document issueing a "Militaire Willems Orde" (dated 1815).

= Ordered in 10 chapters, each w. 2 columns ("Légende" and "Revers"). Chapters as follows: I. Rome; II. Papes de Rome; III. Sardagne; IV. Russie; V. Angleterre; VI. Pologne; VII. Allemagne; VIII. Hollande; IX. France.

- With "title" added in later (17th cent. style) pen and purple ink on first blank "La Premiere Creation et Institution de Lordre de Thoison d or en La Ville de Bruges L an i43i". Occasionally very sl. cut short in upper margin and just touching 21 of the small coats of arms. Top of spine trifle chipped.

= Armorial of the Order of the Golden Fleece from its foundation in 1431 up to and including the 23rd chapter in Ghent in 1559.

CONTENTS: Twenty-three recorded gatherings of the Order of the Golden Fleece, each with a description of the discussed topics and a record of the newly elected knights. This manuscript contains the chapters up to and including the 23rd chapter, the final chapter in which the election of the knights was a democratic process (Philip II ended this process in 1577 after Antoon de Lalaing was admitted to the order against his will).

DECORATION: 1. Portrait of Philip the Good Duke of Burgundy, the founder, and motto "Aultre navray"; w. full-p. coat of arms; 2. Portrait of Charles the Bold, with the motto "Je lay emprins"; w. full-p. coat of arms; 3. Portrait of Maximilian with the motto "Halt maas"; w. full-p. coat of arms; 4. Portrait of Philip the Fair, King of Castile (by right of his wife) with the motto "Qui voudra"; w. full-p. coat of arms; 5. Portrait of Charles V, Philip's son, elected Holy Roman Emperor in 1519, with the motto "Plus oultre"; w. full-p. coat of arms; 6. Portrait of Philip II, King of Spain, with the motto "Nec spec nec metu"; w. full-p. coat of arms. The manuscript is divided per chapter and each chapter is decorated with the coat of arms of the newly elected knights up until the 23rd chapter in Ghent in 1559. The full-p. coats of arms are followed by smaller coats of arms of the knights that belonged to the order, with their names and titles below. The final coat of arms is not identified in the manuscript, but could be identified as Joachim von Neuhaus by comparison with the manuscript held in the Koninklijke Bibliotheek Brussel (digital copy can be referenced with https://uurl.kbr.be/1738456). Our copy is more or less identical in make-up to the Brussels copy, except that the portraits are different (half-length instead of full-length) and that it is entirely in manuscript and entirely on paper. There are also some variants in the small coats of arms shown.

Script and decoration indicate that the manuscript was made in the southern Netherlands, perhaps for one of the new knights elected at the Chapter of 1559 in Ghent, the last chapter recorded. Provenance: by descent in the noble family Groeninx van Zoelen. SEE ILLUSTRATION ON FRONTCOVER.

- Sl. dustsoiled and wrinkled.

- Slightly stained; some lvs. dam./ w. sm. tears/ sticking together.

- Sl. fingersoiled and worn.

- Carbon copies partly creased in margins.

= Some names and publications: James A. MICHENER, Romance in Japan (the final gouache for the frontwrapper by Hans BORREBACH (33x20,7 cm.) and a small preliminary drawing for the same by the same (unsigned) (12,1x8 cm.); Hermann KESTEN, Casanova de grootste minnaar allertijden! (6 drawings in pen and ink by Lilo RASCH-NÄGELE, heightened w. red and orange ink, all ±17,x15 cm., all tipped onto board); Willy VERVOORT, Ik verkoos de blijheid (i.a. 43 drawings (incl. 10 pencil sketches on tracing paper) by Cor ICKE for illustrations in pen and black and ink, 1x w. brown gouache, various sizes); Maurits MOK, Het lied van de olifant (i.a. the 4 original drawings for the illustrations to the poem by B.J. BRIENEN, all in pen and ink, all ±20x16 cm.); Walter SCHUURMAN, Het rijk van het geld (35 orig. drawings for the illustrations in pen and black ink, 1 drawing in pen and black ink for the dustwr., all by Frans METTES, all but one 17x17 cm., most signed "Mettes". All but one under passepartout); and numerous other drawings by i.a. Cor ICKE (for H. MARTIN, Malle gevallen); approx. 58 drawings made for J.G. TOONDER, "De Keizer van Brazilië" (possibly by Eppo DOEVE, but no copy traced), 1x in gouache for the frontwrapper, otherwise in pen and black (and green or blue) ink, various (large) sizes, most w. title in pencil, i.a. "Het Spookschip", "Het Onzegbare", "Schoonmaak op de Estancia", "Mist", "Help" and "De Redding", contained in 3 folders); two carbon copies of typescripts by J.G. TOONDER, "De Keizer van Brazilië" (143p., recto only) and (Vagevuur) (339p., recto only). The archive also contains (press) photos for various publications by Strengholt, i.a. a press photo of Donald TRUMP standing in front of a window showing a copy of the Dutch edition of his Surviving at the top (Overleven aan de top) (16x24 cm.); Michael JACKSON, various popes in informal and formal life, and a series of 20 press photos by Peter HUNTER (mostly of people and landscapes in Afghanistan, in the 1960s).

= Manuscript notes of a course on rhetoric, taken by a student at the University of Caen, France. Nothing could be found on either student or professor.

- Several quires/ lvs. loose(ning); first 7 lvs. frayed; one leaf cut out.

= Written in several different hands, the manual contains (copies/ extracts of) customary law, verdicts, forms and instructions for various legal proceedings, all pertaining to Rijnland, with various sections dated 1575. I.a. "Formulieren van billetten [van de] Curateurs vanden desolaten boedel in Rijnlant"; "Costume ende usanse diemen in Rijnlant onderhouden is in criemineelle saecken buijten dispositie vanden ghemeene Rechter"; "Maniere van prosederen by pandinghe"; "Usantien en costumen vanden vierschaere van Leyden" and "Extract van getuigenisse".

= Accounting booklet on "de mergen saeken in den Hoegenban onder de Spaense moelen gelegen", listing 31 landowners and recording amounts received and paid, i.a. to the miller and for mill maintenance.

= This travel log, perhaps by one of the members of the Willink family with a few wedding documents relating to Arnoud David Willink loosely inserted. A small but charming travel log with a meticulously recorded time table, travel costs and a small log. An abridged description (skipping various stops): the journey started in Amsterdam with the mail coach to Arnhem, from Arnhem to Kleve, Kleve to Xanten onto Wesel. Then to Duisburg, Düsseldorf to Cologne. From Cologne to Poppelsdorff to Bonn, back to Cologne and then back to Krefeld. Onwards to Kleve, Nijmegen, then Utrecht and back to Amsterdam to the inn Berebeit. "Smidd: om 2 1/4 Uur met een extra post na Wesel gereden, waar ons adres aan de Hr. Kip afleverde, die ook direct met ons ging wandelen en door wien wij de permissie kreegen van de generaal Salomon de heele Vestingh te besien en rond te wandelen, ontmoete daar Burgemeester Verhak(?) die met ons rond ging, naderhand met sijne in de Lutherse kerk geweest, welke zeer proper is, als ook by Madame Horn, welke een zeer groote Winkel heeft van Zydestoffen (...)".

- One seal sl. dam. along edges.

= Deed made out for the benefit of Justina Clara de Moor (1686-1758), widow of the late Utrecht mayor Lucas van Voorst (1670-1738). With two beautifully preserved seals of kerkmeesters Bartholomeus de Gruijter, lord of Groenewoude (1706-1782) and later Utrecht mayor Caspar Burman (1696-1755) and with annotation by kerkmeester Cornelis van Hengst (1715-1769), declaring having sold the grave "den 16 Maart 1761" to Johannes van der Hagen (1730-1810).

- Sl. waterst. in upper margin.