In 1882, in the course of a solemn gathering, the writer Anna Louisa Geertruida Bosboom-Toussaint (1812-1886) was presented with a Liber Amicorum by her friends and admirers. It consists of 684 loose leaves and a bound list with the names of all the persons and associations who made a contribution. Originally, the book was encased in a richly decorated wooden box.

The list of those who contributed to the Liber Amicorum presents a cross section of the 19th century cultural elite; writers, poets, scholars, politicians, clergymen, statesmen and many artists of note collaborated on it. Their contributions include poems, drawings, aquarelles, calligraphies and musical compositions.