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The Collection

The JCB's collection of 50,000 rare books, maps and manuscripts encompasses more than two hundred languages and spans over three centuries of early American history. Explore some representative items from the collection here.

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Detail of a manuscript map shows coastal profiles and women or mermaids holding the flags of Ireland, Scotland, and England.

Mountserrat island, ms. 1673

William Blathwayt
1673
Engraved, hand colored illustration. Labels in English read [top] "The Leguana or Iguana Lizard of Guiana, [bottom] "The Alligator or Cayman of Surinam."

Narrative, of a five years' expedition,

John Gabriel Stedman
1796
Detail of hand colored, engraved map of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania shows roads, rivers, and settlements. Text in English labels features.

A map of Philadelphia and parts adjacent..

Nicholas Scull
1752
hand colored map of north America

The north part of America...

Henry Briggs
1625
Detail from a colored manuscript map shows the world labeled with text in Latin.

De geometriae principiis ad sphaerae astronomicae noticiam neces sariis. caput primum…

Glareanus
1513
Detail of title page shows red and black printed text reading "Oronoko, traduit de l'anglois, de Madame Behn."

Oronoko

Aphra Behn
1745
Detail of printed frontispiece shows two men on either side of French title.

Le miroir de la tyrannie espagnole perpetrée aux Indes Occidentales

Bartolomé de las Casas
1620
Detail from a printed book shows text in Spanish reading "Los aguacates es uno fruta en las Indias muy preciada, y medicinal."

Secretos de chirurgia

Pedro Arias de Benavides
1567
Detail of a frontispiece shows four animals grouped between two pillars. In the background, castles sit on either side of a harbor where ships wait. Text in Latin.

Biblia Sacra Hebraice, Chaldaice, Graece, & Latine Philippi II

1573
Detail of a printed book shows text in Spanish reading "Los oficios de secretario, Contador, tesorero" and so on.

Ereccion del consulado de Montevideo

1827
Detail of an engraved, hand colored full-page illustration shows a yam.

A collection of exotics, from the Island of Antigua

Lydia Byam
1797
Detail of a printed book shows a page with text in Dutch.

Pertinent en waarachtig verhaal van alle de handelingen en directie van Pedro Van Belle

1689
Detail of an engraved map of northeastern North America shows "Maryland," "Virginia," and other labels in English for forts and bodies of water.

[A new chart of the English Empire in North America]

Cyprian Southack
1717
Detail of a printed book shows a full-page colored illustration of a plant with insects on it. On the opposite page, text in Latin is visible.

Dissertatio de generatione et metamorphosibus insectorum Surinamensium

Maria Sibylla Merian
1719
Detail of a printed book shows text in Mohawk and English.

A primer for the use of the Mohawk children . . .

Daniel Claus
1786
Detail of a printed book shows a full-page illustration on the frontispiece showing a child carrying the world on their shoulders.

Atlas des Enfans, ou nouvelle methode pour apprendre la geographie,...

1784
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Providence, Rhode Island 02906

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