Anna Maartje de Boer, Dr.
Anna Maartje grew up between books, as the daughter of renowned antiquarian bookseller Theo de Boer. She inherited his passion for books and for the history of the natural sciences. After his passing in 2016, she co-founded Antiquariaat Gaia to carry on the family tradition.
Anna Maartje holds a doctorate in Earth Sciences from Wageningen University & Research, where she graduated cum laude in 2026. Her research focused on developing luminescence techniques to trace coastal sediment pathways, as part of a research programme on coastal protection against sea level rise. She currently works as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cologne in Germany.
Alongside her scientific career, Anna Maartje trained as a bookbinder at the Vakopleiding Handboekbinden Hilversum (under the umbrella of Grafisch Lyceum Utrecht, 2022–2024) and subsequently studied book restoration at a bookbinding atelier in Florence. This combination of scientific knowledge and hands-on craftsmanship shapes how she approaches every book in the collection.
Bea Boetje, mr.
By co-founding Antiquariaat Gaia with her daughter, Bea continues over three decades of involvement in the antiquarian book trade. She supported Theo as he built up his bookselling company, visiting book fairs across Europe from 1989 onwards, and was co-owner of the business from 2000 to 2007.
Today, she ensures the smooth running of Antiquariaat Gaia as a business: from administration and finances to shipping and customer relations. Her background as a tax lawyer gives the shop a solid professional foundation, while her decades of experience at book fairs across Europe have given her a sharp eye for interesting acquisitions.
Bea shares her daughter’s passion for books and has a deep interest in history and politics.
Together they continue what Theo started: making rare books on the natural sciences accessible to collectors, researchers, and anyone drawn to the history of scientific discovery with a special interest in women in science and their often overlooked contributions.
