Anno: 1999
Amsterdam: W. Versluys, [1894]. 19.8x13.5cm: 62pp. First Edition. Text in Dutch. Original printed blue-green wrappers. Lacks rear wrapper; remaining wrapper somewhat dust-soiled and a bit toned and worn, with a pencil notation at top and a small chip at lower corner. Title page lightly soiled with some pencil notations and a small closed tear to bottom edge. Gatherings starting to separate from top. A good, sound copy of a fragile book.
Anno: 1999 is an anonymously-written short story about a socialist utopian society, attributed to Netherlands-born conservative minister turned physician, Johannes Rutgers (1850-1924). Rutgers became a great advocate of contraception and of social and sexual reform in the Netherlands after marrying his second wife Mietje Hoitsema, a prominent women’s rights activist. Together they ran the New-Malthusian League from 1901 to 1919, an organization that prioritized birth control and small families.
Though moderately common in institutional libraries in the Netherlands (OCLC locates six copies, though the printing of each of these copies is unclear), the work seems to be considerably scarcer in the United States. As of February 2025, OCLC locates three copies in the U.S. (University of Kansas, New York Public Library, and Duke University), with the latter two copies having the notation ‘2e duizendtal,’ or second thousand, on their front wrapper.
Price: $450.00
Item #10467