The most complete collection of a rare print series of Dutch military uniforms known, with six prints that have not been described in any of the literature. Until now, only 165 unique prints have been recorded for this series, with no collection known to contain that many. With 169 unique prints, however, our collection even exceeds that number. It comes from the library of the Dutch bibliophile Ferdinand Casper Koch (1873-1957), who is known to only have collected the very best. According to Buijnsters, the presence of his bookplate can therefore be seen as a hallmark of quality. In addition to the six previously unrecorded prints, the present collection also contains a lithographed index for the subscribers, which offers new insight into the publication history of the series.
The plates in the collection show the uniforms of the different units within the Dutch army, and the different ranks within them, including officers, soldiers, trumpeters and colonels of the volunteers, flag bearers, infantry, artillery, cuirassiers, hussars, dragoons, lancers, grenadiers, marines, marechausee, and the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army. Also included are two different plates of female sutlers. The collection was most likely printed by Johannes Paulus Houtman (1803-1845), as his name is printed on a few of the plates. The plates are undated, but are generally considered to have been printed in 1831 or 1832. They are largely based on a less extensive prints series from 1823 by J. F. Teupken. Although uncoloured examples are known, all the prints in the present collection have been coloured.
Muller suggest that the collection was printed in three instalments, but the lithographed index in our copy makes clear that it was actually four. These instalments were most likely sold separately in sturdy paper or cloth cases. According to our index, the first instalment, titled Militaire kleding der vrijwillige jagerskorpsen en schutterijen, consisted of 58 plates, the second, Militaire kleding der infanterie, of 45 plates, the third, Militaire kleeding der kavallerie, artillerie, genie, etc., of 37 plates, and the final, Militaire kleding der marine en mariniers, had 18 plates. This means that a complete collection should consist of 158 plates. However, Muller has found 163 unique ones, Stolk 165, and our copy contains 169. The reason for this disparity is likely that there are variants of many of the plates, with slight differences in the caption and/or image. As the plates are not numbered, it is unknown how many there must have been. However, our copy lacks two plates that are mentioned in Muller, namely numbers 135 and 156, which are both likely variants, and has six extra ones, namely variants of Muller 9, 25, 26, 28, 33, and 79. As such, the series must have consisted of at least 171 unique prints. No collection containing that many is known, however. The other collections we have been able to trace, either in libraries or on the market, contain 156 unique prints at most. As such, the present collection is the most complete currently known.
A detailed list of contents is available upon request.
With the label and bookplate of F.C. Koch (1873-1957) mounted on the front pastedown. The spine has been rubbed and is somewhat discoloured, the boards are slightly scratched. The plates have been numbered in pencil by a previous owner according to the numbering in Muller, some of the leaves and plates are slightly foxed, some plates are slightly soiled, one plate with smudged colouring, lacking the plate (a duplicate) that was tipped onto the verso of leaf [45]. Otherwise in good condition. Atlas van Stolk 6823 (165 prints); Hiler, p. 448 (2 copies, 1 with 122 prints and 1 with 58); Landwehr, coloured plates, 320 (163 prints); Muller, Historieplaten, 6481, and supplement 6481 (163 prints); WorldCat 740238540, 1329217268, 54306970, 36459586 (4 copies, with 122-156 prints); cf. Buijnsters, P., Mr. Ferdinand Casper Koch als boekverzamelaar, in: Jaarboek voor Nederlandse boekgeschiedenis 15 (2008), pp. 142-158; not in Colas; Lipperheide.