Exhibit 10.1
                      ASSIGNMENT AND MODIFICATION AGREEMENT
                               dated June 26, 1996


                  This  ASSIGNMENT AND  MODIFICATION  AGREEMENT,  dated June 26,
1996,  among BT OFFICE  PRODUCTS  INTERNATIONAL,  INC.,  a Delaware  corporation
("BTOPI"),  KNP BT ANTILLIANA  N.V., a Netherlands  Antilles joint stock company
("Antilliana"),  and KNP BT FINANCE  (USA),  INC., a Delaware  corporation  ("BT
Finance").


                               W I T N E S S E T H


                  WHEREAS,  BTOPI and  Antilliana  have  entered into the Credit
Agreement dated as of June 15, 1995 (the "Credit  Agreement";  capitalized terms
used herein and not otherwise  defined having the meanings  ascribed  thereto in
the Credit Agreement)  pursuant to which Antilliana has agreed to make Loans, or
to cause the European  Lender to make Loans,  to one or more of the Borrowers in
accordance  with the  terms  thereof  in an  aggregate  amount  not in excess of
$200,000,000;

                  WHEREAS, it is proposed that BT Finance will become a party to
the Credit Agreement for the purpose of making the Loans to those Borrowers that
are organized in the United States ("U.S.  Borrowers"),  in an aggregate  amount
not in excess of $155,000,000,  with Antilliana  continuing to make, or to cause
the European  Lender to make,  Loans to those  Borrowers  that are  organized in
European countries ("European Borrowers"),  in an aggregate amount not in excess
of $45,000,000;

                  NOW  THEREFORE,  for  good  and  valuable  consideration,  the
receipt and  sufficiency  of which is hereby  acknowledged,  the parties  hereto
hereby agree as follows:

                  1. Antilliana  hereby sells and assigns to BT Finance,  and BT
Finance hereby purchases and assumes from Antilliana, all of Antilliana's rights
in, and all of  Antilliana's  obligations  and  commitments in respect of, Loans
(whether or not outstanding on the date hereof) to the U.S. Borrowers.  From and
after the date hereof,  Antilliana shall be released from any obligation to make
Loans to U.S. Borrowers.

                     2. The purchase price for the outstanding Loans assigned to
BT Finance pursuant to paragraph 1 hereof, which shall  be  payable  promptly   







following the execution and delivery hereof,  shall be the sum of (a) the unpaid
principal amount thereof, (b) interest thereon accrued to but excluding the date
of  payment of such  purchase  price and (c) any and all other  amounts  due and
unpaid in respect of such Loans as of such date of payment. Upon payment in full
of such  purchase  price,  BT Finance  shall be  entitled to receive all amounts
payable  by the U.S.  Borrowers  in respect of such  Loans,  whether  principal,
interest,  fees or other  amounts  payable  pursuant to the Credit  Agreement in
respect of such Loans.

                  3. From and after the date  hereof,  the  aggregate  principal
amount of Loans  outstanding at any time shall not exceed,  in the case of Loans
to U.S. Borrowers, $155,000,000 and, in the case of Loans to European Borrowers,
$45,000,000.

                  4. From and  after  the date  hereof,  all  references  in the
Credit  Agreement to "Lender" shall mean  Antilliana  and/or BT Finance,  as the
context may require.  For purposes of Section 7.08 of the Credit Agreement,  the
rights and  obligations of BT Finance and the U.S.  Borrowers shall be construed
in  accordance  with and  governed by the law of the State of New York  (without
giving effect to its choice of law principles).  For purposes of Section 7.09 of
the Credit  Agreement,  any judicial  proceeding  against a U.S. Borrower of the
type  referred to in such  Section may also be brought in any court of competent
jurisdiction in New York City, New York and any judicial  proceeding  against BT
Finance of the type referred to in such Section shall be brought only in a court
located  in New York  City,  New York.  Except as  modified  hereby,  the Credit
Agreement  shall  remain in full  force and effect  and is hereby  ratified  and
confirmed.

                  5. This  Agreement  shall be construed in accordance  with and
governed by the laws of the Netherlands  Antilles  (without giving effect to its
choice of law principles).

                  6. This Agreement may be signed in any number of counterparts,
each of which shall be an  original,  with the same effect as if the  signatures
hereto were upon the same instrument.

                  7. This  Agreement  shall be  binding  upon  and  inure to the
benefit of the parties hereto and their respective successors and assigns.




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                  IN WITNESS WHEREOF,  the parties have caused this Agreement to
be  executed  by their duly  authorized  officers  as of the date first  written
above.

                             BT OFFICE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL, INC.


                             By:/s/ John J. McKiernan
                                ______________________________________________
                                  Name:  John J. McKiernan 
                                  Title: Vice President - Finance and
                                         Administration, Chief Financial
                                         Officer, and Secretary


                             KNP BT ANTILLIANA N.V.


                             By:/s/ E.J. Halabi        /s/  R.M. van Arendonk
                                ______________________________________________
                                  Name:  E.J. Halabi   Name:  R.M. van Arendonk
                                  Title: Managing      Title: Office Manager
                                         Director 

                             KNP BT FINANCE (USA), INC.


                             By:/s/ Andre W.M. Zwetsloot
                                ______________________________________________
                                  Name:  Andre W.M. Zwetsloot
                                  Title: President



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