Legacy of ‘Jan Leef van de Geef’ fills former fashion house at Slotlaan Zeist

May 9, 2024 at 9:43 am

Stores

ZEIST Jan ‘Leef van de Geef’ Knoop passed away on January 1 of this year at the age of 76 after a short illness. Son Franklin and daughter Nancy are selling his enormous collection of bric-à-brac in a pop-up store at Slotlaan 255. Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday until the end of July you can browse through the old and antique items and make a bid if you find something of your own. meets your liking. The building will then be partially demolished and apartments will be built.

“Ten years ago, a tennis buddy once told my father that he had to clean up; He couldn’t leave his children with all that stuff. I then told them not to get involved and that we would solve it.

In retrospect, that is the greatest gift I could give my father. He didn’t have to worry about that and could continue doing what he loved. He did ask if I wanted to sell it respectfully and we are doing that now.”

MAN WITH GUTS

Franklin Knoop – indeed, the famous chip shop – and his sister Nancy face an enormous task. The two of them have to empty a stock of more than five thousand filled banana boxes. Their father had stored them in a rented shed with a farmer in Cothen.

“My father traded in household effects for almost fifty years. He was originally a carpenter. He also worked in transport for a while, but he was an independent man. He started his own business. He was a man with courage. He bought thousands of guilders. In 1978 he bought a company car for over ten thousand guilders, serious money. I get this knowledge from his first account book, which I want to keep as a souvenir of my father. The rest of his estate is for sale.

For the first fifteen years, my father paid money if he could clear out a house and he also bought things from Veilinghuis Van Stroe. The second fifteen years there was so much throwaway stuff and he emptied homes for nothing. Over the last fifteen years he received money to clear out a house.” Knoop senior sorted the trade, sold some of it on and stored some in his warehouse. “In recent years, a lot has been added and not much has gone out and that is how this enormous stock was created.”

An exciting legacy? “It certainly is. There are boxes that were closed forty years ago. Every box that opens is a mystery. Very special things come out of it.”

The rent for the warehouse continues and clearing it out costs money. About sixty percent of the stored items can go directly into the container. “The scrap metal brings in money and we play shop every Thursday, Friday and Saturday to cover costs and to be able to treat all that stuff with respect, because that’s what I promised my father.”

Franklin and Nancy have rented a shop on Slotlaan and furnished it with antiques and curiosities. The well-known visual artist Hans Pruijn from Zeist is friends with Franklin and decorates the shop windows; one by one paintings.

Both children of the collector are in the catering industry and have no knowledge of this trade. They have come up with a special way to price the items. “You place a bid on an item that you would like to have. A realistic offer. And if you find that difficult, we are happy to help you. We usually figure it out together.”

MUSEUM

The building that previously housed fashion house Houweling is large and has a basement and a first floor. The merchandise is beautifully displayed. Toy cars and games in the basement. Glassware and crockery for the counter. Clothes on the racks. Paintings, embroidery, crocheted curtains, a copper pot and a children’s bicycle; it looks like a museum. Franklin: “If we have some time, we will get new boxes. The collection is constantly changing. Feel free to come by.”

A lot of stuff, it looks like a museum.