Bunker with 30,000 books

Bunker built for the Bescherming Bevolking, Kring Groningen-c, second construction period 1961-1970, at Takenslaan 3 in Appingedam (Netherlands), with 10 subterranean spaces with a total surface of ca. 500 square metres, in use as a storage space for ca. 30,000 books, included in this lot.

Besides its protective qualities, the bunker also once served as e.g. meeting room for the municipality of Appingedam. After the end of the Cold War, this type of bunker became obsolete. This bunker was given to the local museum, which for some time used it as a museum depot. Eventually, the museum sold the BB-bunker to Peter de Vos. Filled with efficiently placed wooden and metal shelves - a few hundred running metres - it remained an ideal depot, now for the collector and antiquarian. Two spaces on the left-hand side, however, reveal the origins of the bunker. There, a large built-in DAF diesel engine is housed together with a generator and a three-phase generator and even 3 bicycles for generating power, just in case. In the first room a wall painting is present with a humorous scene of BB-men rescuing people from a burning house. Next, there are a Bruynzeel kitchen and a wheel chair lift. Entirely to his own vision, Vos arranged the bunker into an orderly storage space. He specialised in 20th-century books and possessed an impressive collection of children's books, pulp, magazines and comics, part of which we have been able to auction off at previous auctions. In the bunker collection, partly consisting of private collections and partly intended for the market, two rooms are set up with 20th-century children's books (including several hundreds of titles by Karl May) and a room with pulp/ detectives and science fiction. Interior, shelves and the books are included with the purchase. *For the sale of this bunker, special conditions apply which can be viewed on our website or in print on request from the first of may. This lot with not come up for auction via Invaluable live bidding. Telephone bidding on this lot is possible after consulting the auction house (min. 48 hours before the start of the auction). Viewing takes place on Saturday 6 May, from 11.00 to 17.00 on location. Other viewing possibilities by appointment.