Whenever I tell people my PhD research focuses on the transmission of ancient astrological texts, especially from the perspective of book history, they’re often surprised. “Books?” they ask. “Aren’t those on their way out?”
Since helping to reopen our Amsterdam Antiquarian Bookstore last year—an extraordinary collection inherited from Wilma Schumacher—I’ve heard similar reactions: “That’s so cool, but isn’t it hard to run a bookstore now that fewer people buy physical books?”
They’re valid, and fascinating, questions.
At first, I viewed books simply as vessels for text. But the deeper my research went, the clearer it became: books are far more than just containers of words. They’re condensed histories, crystallized moments of thought, and tangible imprints of their time. From the birth of an idea to its development and physical production, a book reflects not only its content but also the technology, censorship, and cultural climate of its era.
In early Europe, texts were written on papyrus scrolls. Later, parchment replaced papyrus, and scrolls gave way to the codex. In the 15th century, printing transformed not just how books were made but who could access them. Once reserved for elites, beautifully bound books gradually became available to ordinary people–a quiet revolution in the spread of knowledge. Nowdays, no need to say how digital and audio books have been changing our reading behaviour.
So why still care about physical books today? Because they don’t just preserve ideas—they embody history as historical relics. Paper type, printing techniques, and binding styles all reveal clues about the book’s purpose, audience, and journey. A worn page suggests frequent use. A handwritten note opens a window into a reader’s thoughts from centuries past. A single book can spark a dialogue with the past, so that we can acquire experience and knowledge beyond time limitations.
That’s what I felt the first time I stepped into Wilma’s bookstore, not just shelves of old books, but a lifetime of care, and a centuries-spanning conversation waiting to be heard.
Antiquariaat Schumacher, one of Amsterdam’s earliest antiquarian booksellers, never followed trends. She trusted her instincts, collecting not what was popular, but what she believed mattered—books with overlooked historical and cultural value. She also pioneered a scholarly approach to provenance and edition studies, a tradition we’re proud to continue.
If any of this sparks even a flicker of interest—about old books, or Wilma’s remarkable collection—we’d love to welcome you. We host monthly workshops, both online and in-store, where we explore the stories behind the books.
Thanks for reading.
Charlotte Zhu