Does anyone have or know of any large seventeenth- or
early eighteenth-century century pamphlet collections which
have survived in something approaching their original
physical state?
At Christ Church we have a very large collection of
pamphlets which appear to have been in the top attic of our
library building ever since it was built (it was started in
1717). Most seem to have been given by two collectors born
in the mid-seventeenth century, and to have arrived here in
the first quarter of the eighteenth century. They are
nearly all bound in uniform vellum half bindings, and
labelled on their backs with shelfmarks in large, bold
letters: the effect is rough and rustic, and not in any way
sophisticated. Each volume contains at least three or four
works, and often considerably more. Many have lists of
their contents written onto their backs as well. Many
hundreds of volumes are lined round the walls from floor to
ceiling, so far as I can see on shelves which were designed
to house them, and in their original eighteenth-century
order.
I am wondering whether there are comparable collections in
a comparable state of preservation elsewhere? The contents
of our collection have been thoroughly explored from a
bibliographical point of view. But so far as I am aware
no-one has ever paused to consider the whole collection at
an artefactual level, in the way that one might consider,
for example, an eighteenth-century print cabinet. For that
matter, neither had I until recently, but the more I look
at it, the more remarkable and interesting this attic room
seems to me.
Mark Purcell
Christ Church Library
Oxford
OX1 1DP
(01865) 276265
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