Leiden University Libraries Digital Collections

Sijthoff Correspondence

Correspondence of A.W. Sijthoff’s publishing company, Leiden

SYT A 1880

Sijthoff Correspondence

This collection is described in Collection guide Archief A.W. Sijthoff (ubl007).

In 1851 Albertus Willem Sijthoff (1829-1913) founded a company at the Oude Vest in Leiden, which in a short time acquired an important, even leading position in the Dutch book trade. After a year, the printing works is already one of the largest in Leiden and the rapid growth forces the company to move to a larger building on the Koepoortsgracht - currently the Doezastraat. Sijthoff is rapidly expanding his business and becomes one of the most innovative Dutch entrepreneurs of the nineteenth century. He plays a considerable role in the introduction of many printing innovations in the Netherlands and his publishing company grew to an unprecedented size.
In 1963 the oldest part of the correspondence was moved to Leiden University Library. After a move in 1970 the second part is transferred. Finally, in 2001 the most recent material was transferred to Leiden, which was then stored at Samson-Kluwer in Alphen a /d Rijn.