William Rutten - Het Ramses Shaffy Archief – Collector’s Edition - 140/500 - 2024

The collector’s edition The Ramses Shaffy Archive is an extremely exclusive and impressive publication that serves as a unique tribute to Ramses Shaffy (1933–2009), one of the Netherlands' most legendary chansonniers, composers, songwriters, and actors. Only 500 numbered copies of this edition have been released worldwide. The offered copy is number 140 of 500, making it part of the first 175 copies. The book is brand new, unused, and comes in the original box. Original retail price: €2,995.

This special publication brings Ramses Shaffy back to life, fifteen years after his death, through exclusive archive material sourced from various collections. The result is a rich, layered, and sometimes chaotic collection of images, music, and stories, entirely in Ramses's spirit. His bravado, zest for life, and charisma are extensively highlighted, but the tragedy and raw edges of his life are also not shied away from. In collaboration with Stichting Ramses Shaffy, Allard Pierson, and friends and family of Ramses, exclusive access has been granted to his personal archive.

Anyone interested in delving into the life and work of Ramses Shaffy can spend hours browsing through the thousands of images gathered in this collector’s edition. The publication includes handwritten letters, song lyrics, drawings, record covers, and personal belongings. A striking and curious example is a large envelope labeled 'Rechthouden volle asbak,' which, during the cleanup of his home, actually contained and preserved an ashtray with contents in the archive. Such details provide an intimate and unfiltered view of his life.

The luxury box measures an impressive 32 by 46 centimeters with a thickness of about 10 centimeters, making this edition a true collector's item. The gold cover and the gold on the edges refer to the song 'Pastorale,' which Ramses performed together with Liesbeth List, in which he, cloaked in gold, represented the sun. On the cover, a lenticular print shows both a young Ramses and Ramses in the autumn of his life—two images deeply etched into the collective memory of his admirers.

In the specially designed box, alongside the monumental book, there is a USB stick with nearly thirty minutes of previously unreleased audio recordings of Ramses Shaffy. Additionally, because this copy is among the first 175, it includes an exclusive photo of Ramses Shaffy taken by William Rutten. This photo was awarded third prize at the Zilveren Camera 2009 and is numbered and signed by the photographer.

This publication is a rare and high-quality collectible for enthusiasts of music, photography, and Dutch cultural heritage, offering a unique opportunity to acquire a museum tribute to an iconic artist.