The legacy of Troostwijk Auctions
The legacy of Troostwijk Auctions
How former director Ad Westerhof witnessed the evolution of Troostwijk Auctions
If anyone has witnessed the history of Troostwijk Auctions up close, it’s Ad Westerhof. He worked for the company for over forty years, twenty of which as director. In this interview, he looks back on those decades, as well as on the world of auctions and valuations, and the secret behind 95 years of Troostwijk Auctions.
From Loss Adjuster to Director
“My career began in 1972 as a loss adjuster,” Westerhof recalls. “At that time, auctions, valuations, and real estate at Troostwijk were still one and the same entity. In 1979, we bought out all shareholders, and two years later, we sold the auction division. Shortly after, I became director, and we began expanding internationally. The organization grew steadily. In 2007, we sold the real estate branch, and in 2017, the rest was acquired by a British investment organization.”
Still, the combination of auctions and valuations was always a special source of tension, he remembers: “Real money was made in the auction business, but that sometimes clashed with the objectivity of valuations. An auction is either very good or very bad—there’s hardly anything in between.”
The Auction World of the 1990s
“Troostwijk had the best auctioneers in the Netherlands back then—by far,” Westerhof says proudly. “The atmosphere in those auction halls was unique. Sometimes there were 1,500 people in the audience—and the police were there to keep an eye on things. There were also some shady figures around,” he laughs. “The police would sometimes walk into the hall, plastic handcuffs in hand, to arrest someone. That was just part of the scene back then.”
Legendary Auctions
When asked which auctions he remembers most vividly, Westerhof doesn’t hesitate.
“The 1972 Floriade,” he begins enthusiastically. “I had just started as an appraiser. The auction took place at the RAI, in front of a full house. Everything—trees, greenhouses, plants—was sold. A lot went wrong,” he laughs. “For example, the municipality of Vlaardingen bought the mobile plants and drove them through the Schiphol tunnel, damaging all the lighting—over a million in damages! And the prices… Plants that normally cost two euros at the Albert Cuyp market sold there for thirty-five.”
He also fondly recalls the auction of the Oriental Palace in Breukelen. “It was a Chinese restaurant that went bankrupt. We held auctions there for days, in a big tent. Arie Troostwijk led the auction, but I participated too. Everything was sold—from tableware to decorations. After a week, the entire restaurant was bought in one go by Van der Valk. Funny detail: the owner of Yab Yum was also interested—he wanted to turn it into an erotic club.”
Another memorable project: “We even auctioned the shipbuilder of De Groene Draeck—Princess Beatrix’s ship. Those kinds of assignments you never forget.”
The Secret of 95 Years of Success
How does Westerhof explain that Troostwijk Auctions has existed for almost a century? “You can’t buy tradition,” he says firmly. “That’s the difference between a company that’s been around for 95 years and one that’s just starting. The commitment of the people, the word-of-mouth reputation—that’s priceless. And at Troostwijk, continuity was always the guiding principle. Not the profit of today, but the future of tomorrow. That’s the strength of a family business.”
The Future of Auctions
Finally, Westerhof shares his vision for the future. “Every machine that gets sold starts a second life somewhere else. That creates jobs and stimulates economies. The buying and selling of used goods will always continue. Reuse is in our nature, even if it sometimes seems less obvious today. Modern, online auctions make that process much more efficient—especially with automation and AI.”
“And there’s still so much potential internationally,” he concludes. “There’s a huge market in Africa, India, and China. Auctions play an important role in transferring machinery to those countries, where they contribute to economic growth and employment. That way, we not only help Troostwijk Auctions’ clients but also make a small contribution to global development.”
