Rare & Special Collections pre 1871 Gallery
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From old treasures to literary classics, the items in this gallery show some of the historic milestones that have shaped culture.
From old treasures to literary classics, the items in this gallery show some of the historic milestones that have shaped culture, up until the Library was established.
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2021-06/Shakespeare_FirstFolioSterling_titlepage.jpg?itok=5OSvbBj3 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2021-06/Shakespeare_FirstFolioSterling_titlepage.jpg?itok=agKgegYt 750w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_medium/public/2021-06/Shakespeare_FirstFolioSterling_titlepage.jpg?itok=oTAMd_Ib 755w)
Mr William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories & Tragedies, 1623 (the First Folio)
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2022-03/braunhogenberg.jpg?itok=RoGnYaqp 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2022-03/braunhogenberg.jpg?itok=-YRfQeTc 442w)
Georg Braun and Franz Hogenberg, Civitates orbis terrarum (1572-1618)
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2021-09/The%20Interesting%20Narrative%20of%20the%20Life%20of%20Olaudah%20Equiano.jpg?itok=5ub-xxxv 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2021-09/The%20Interesting%20Narrative%20of%20the%20Life%20of%20Olaudah%20Equiano.jpg?itok=K5bpLIlR 750w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_medium/public/2021-09/The%20Interesting%20Narrative%20of%20the%20Life%20of%20Olaudah%20Equiano.jpg?itok=9xtPo0oq 1000w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_large/public/2021-09/The%20Interesting%20Narrative%20of%20the%20Life%20of%20Olaudah%20Equiano.jpg?itok=_PpYOO76 1300w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_huge/public/2021-09/The%20Interesting%20Narrative%20of%20the%20Life%20of%20Olaudah%20Equiano.jpg?itok=TIxGp0Z9 1565w)
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano, or Gustavus Vassa, the African, 1789 
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2021-06/Johann%20Gottlieb%20Georgi.jpg?itok=t7TkODDY 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2021-06/Johann%20Gottlieb%20Georgi.jpg?itok=vi3OtN4y 750w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_medium/public/2021-06/Johann%20Gottlieb%20Georgi.jpg?itok=BVQOqc9X 877w)
Johann Gottlieb Georgi, Description de toutes les nations de l’empire de Russie, c.1776-1777
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2021-06/Hocus%20Pocus%201634_0.jpg?itok=TWC90pRC 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2021-06/Hocus%20Pocus%201634_0.jpg?itok=tATrJ1zS 442w)
Hocus Pocus Junior, 1634
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2021-06/Quixote_1616.jpg?itok=q0lz9FPI 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2021-06/Quixote_1616.jpg?itok=a5Da0R2s 750w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_medium/public/2021-06/Quixote_1616.jpg?itok=LrOSE6hi 1000w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_large/public/2021-06/Quixote_1616.jpg?itok=eA9eqn-q 1200w)
El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha by Miguel de Cervantes, 1605-16
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2022-02/heures-a-lusaige-de-romehero.jpg?itok=Kf66yByL 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2022-02/heures-a-lusaige-de-romehero.jpg?itok=Svg2fSiQ 750w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_medium/public/2022-02/heures-a-lusaige-de-romehero.jpg?itok=Z-A1EQpC 1000w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_large/public/2022-02/heures-a-lusaige-de-romehero.jpg?itok=0xllrK7A 1290w)
Heures a l’Usaige de Rome Tout au Long sans Riens Requerir, c. 1516
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2021-09/Anne%20of%20Cleves%20roll%20of%20funeral%20procession.jpg?itok=b1zI_8Co 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2021-09/Anne%20of%20Cleves%20roll%20of%20funeral%20procession.jpg?itok=R-VJVpnS 750w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_medium/public/2021-09/Anne%20of%20Cleves%20roll%20of%20funeral%20procession.jpg?itok=_xSrBa_z 1000w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_large/public/2021-09/Anne%20of%20Cleves%20roll%20of%20funeral%20procession.jpg?itok=ZzAYqcvJ 1300w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_huge/public/2021-09/Anne%20of%20Cleves%20roll%20of%20funeral%20procession.jpg?itok=XFNcIOhD 1408w)
Panoramic drawing of the funeral procession of Anne of Cleves, 1557
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2022-03/chilcott.jpg?itok=EfJgbOke 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2022-03/chilcott.jpg?itok=n36HuZeD 442w)
Clara Chilcott, Lucy, or the Sad Consequences of Disobedience, 3rd edn (1840)
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2021-06/Piers%20Plowman.jpg?itok=ZrV-SCj3 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2021-06/Piers%20Plowman.jpg?itok=cTFWPMNN 750w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_medium/public/2021-06/Piers%20Plowman.jpg?itok=yi8OOEdH 960w)
Manuscript of William Langland, Piers Plowman, early 15th century
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2021-06/Regenfuss_Schnecken_pl-5.jpg?itok=1kkPSgHK 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2021-06/Regenfuss_Schnecken_pl-5.jpg?itok=XnFT3b88 750w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_medium/public/2021-06/Regenfuss_Schnecken_pl-5.jpg?itok=C2wNp-YZ 1000w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_large/public/2021-06/Regenfuss_Schnecken_pl-5.jpg?itok=pkp53I0- 1004w)
Auserlesene Schnecken, Muschelen und andre Schaalthiere by Franz Michael Regenfuss, 1758
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2021-06/Incunabula%2095_tp.jpg?itok=suvH8vOs 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2021-06/Incunabula%2095_tp.jpg?itok=t_14PD43 750w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_medium/public/2021-06/Incunabula%2095_tp.jpg?itok=apXEURtt 826w)
Theorica Musica by Franchinus Gaffurius, 1492
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2021-06/Resolution%20of%20Women%20of%20àËÅöÊÓƵ%20to%20Parliament%2C%201642%20-%20Wing_R1156_tp.jpg?itok=JWR5tknN 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2021-06/Resolution%20of%20Women%20of%20àËÅöÊÓƵ%20to%20Parliament%2C%201642%20-%20Wing_R1156_tp.jpg?itok=2XhNvrBU 750w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_medium/public/2021-06/Resolution%20of%20Women%20of%20àËÅöÊÓƵ%20to%20Parliament%2C%201642%20-%20Wing_R1156_tp.jpg?itok=UM68LfK1 776w)
The Resolution of the Women of àËÅöÊÓƵ to the Parliament printed for William Watson, 1642
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2021-06/Game%20of%20Chess.jpg?itok=O_8NmVAJ 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2021-06/Game%20of%20Chess.jpg?itok=zCimbOLO 750w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_medium/public/2021-06/Game%20of%20Chess.jpg?itok=16NR0oVG 972w)
The Game of Chess by Jacobus de Cessolis, translated and printed by William Caxton (1483) translated by William Caxton, 1483
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2022-03/olivertwist-1838-ger-0001.jpg?itok=uiJcbNF2 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2022-03/olivertwist-1838-ger-0001.jpg?itok=zrxqpQYM 442w)
Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist (Leipzig, 1838-9)
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2022-03/cicerow535-1.jpg?itok=ov8H6FbI 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2022-03/cicerow535-1.jpg?itok=ihFvrHQH 442w)
Cicero, Opera (1642)
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2021-06/ST1_1_6_web-1_0.jpg?itok=kGMFWjd1 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2021-06/ST1_1_6_web-1_0.jpg?itok=AmL68ysR 442w)
àËÅöÊÓƵ Supplemental Charter, 1867
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2021-06/Bacon_Sylva_1627%20jpeg.jpg?itok=V4btRft2 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2021-06/Bacon_Sylva_1627%20jpeg.jpg?itok=9m2z8h1T 750w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_medium/public/2021-06/Bacon_Sylva_1627%20jpeg.jpg?itok=wfD2VPqv 1000w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_large/public/2021-06/Bacon_Sylva_1627%20jpeg.jpg?itok=gCO9Gy5T 1300w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_huge/public/2021-06/Bacon_Sylva_1627%20jpeg.jpg?itok=x_lUQ8tT 1400w)
Sylva Sylvarum or A Natural Historie in Ten Centuries by Francis Bacon, 1627
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2021-06/IMG_3992.jpg?itok=cc7Srb3V 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2021-06/IMG_3992.jpg?itok=d55FS9Ws 750w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_medium/public/2021-06/IMG_3992.jpg?itok=WiJKgk8m 1000w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_large/public/2021-06/IMG_3992.jpg?itok=T_BTPGuJ 1300w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_huge/public/2021-06/IMG_3992.jpg?itok=UOrLW8Ho 1600w)
One of the Grieve Family Collection of Theatre Designs c. 1813-1857
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2021-06/SL-V-9%20Byron%20Don%20Juan%20manuscript.jpg?itok=iGmEFql_ 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2021-06/SL-V-9%20Byron%20Don%20Juan%20manuscript.jpg?itok=UyhUOstE 750w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_medium/public/2021-06/SL-V-9%20Byron%20Don%20Juan%20manuscript.jpg?itok=DOQuz-S3 882w)
Holograph manuscript of Don Juan by Lord Byron, 1823
![](/sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_tiny/public/2022-03/inc101-hague-binding.jpg?itok=p6jRTAXc 400w, /sites/default/files/styles/uncropped_small/public/2022-03/inc101-hague-binding.jpg?itok=Ti6Yfh6Y 442w)
Albertus Magnus, De animalibus (1495)