| Title: | Elzevier Press Collection |
| Description: | The Elzevier Press Collection comprises over 700 books printed by members of the Elzevier family, and c.450 books produced by other 17th-century Dutch presses, in all, a collection unique in the United Kingdom. The house of Elzevier, or Elzevir, began operating in Leiden in 1580 and continued throughout the Netherlands into the early 18th century. Senate House Library (SHL) has worked with scholars in the British Library to record the holdings of this remarkable collection. A check of the Netherlands Short Title Catalogue has revealed that almost 15% of the SHL Elzevier Collection has not previously been reported. This collection of Elzevier publications was given to Senate House Library by the Corporation of London's Guildhall Library in 1950, together with related works and the other early Dutch imprints. The SHL collection complements that at the nearby British Library to provide nearly a complete set of Elzeviers in London. While in many older libraries one might expect to find Elzevier material scattered among the general holdings, SHL is remarkable for the collocation of its Elzevier stock. The collection includes some publications, notably pirated editions of French plays, which appear to be particularly rare. A notable holding is the "Poemata & effigies trium fratrum Belgarum Nicolai Grudii, Hadriani Marii, Ioannis Secundi" given by the editor, Bonaventura Vulcanius, to the pioneering natural rights theorist Hugo Grotius, who was also the first modern author to be published by the Elzeviers. |
| Physical Extent: | c.1,150 books. |
| Catalogue Information: | Accessible via the Main catalogue. |
| Accrual Status: | By donation; closed. |
| Note: | Elzevier Press Collection at Senate House Library. See also: Willems, " Les Elzeviers: histoire et annales typographiques" (1880) (marked up copy available on request in University of London Library). |
| Strength: | Of international significance. |
| Start Date: | c1600 |
| End Date: | c1700 |
| Holding Institution: | Senate House Library, University of London |
| Access Information: | Senate House Library opening hours; Special Collections opening hours. Library contact details. Library membership information. |
| Postal Address: | Senate House Library, University of London, Senate House, Malet Street, London |
| Postcode: | WC1E 7HU |
| Related Links: | Senate House Library Special Collections homepage. University of London Research Library Services homepage. |
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