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.

Detail of an engraved title page shows medallion portraits at the border, a coat of arms, and text in Spanish.

Historia general de las conquistas del nuevo reyno de Granada

Lucas Fernández de Piedrahita
1688
Detail of a woodcut, hand-colored map depicting North and South America. Visible details include Cuba, written as "CVBA", a compass rose, and text in Italian.

La carta uniuersale della terra firma & isole delle Indie occidẽtali…

1534
Detail of a printed books shows text in Latin and decorative typography.

De Aequinoctiorum Solsticiorumque Inventione

Albert Pigghe
1520
Printed text shows a circular diagram below text in Latin.

Breves in sphaeram meditatiunculae

Bartholomaeus Mercator
1563
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
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 a portrait frontispiece of Phillis Wheatley sitting at a table with a quill in her hand in the process of writing.

Poems on various subjects, religious and moral

Phillis Wheatley
1773
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 colored manuscript atlas shows a coastal region and labels in Latin. Other details include drawings of castles and mountains.

[Portolan atlas] / Vesconte de Maiolo ciuis Janue conposuy

Vesconte Maggiolo
1511
Printed text shows a large, coiled snake with some Latin text visible.

Historia naturæ

Joannes Eusebius Nieremberg
1635
Cover of Instructio[n]

Instructio[n], y memoria, de las relaciones que se han de hazer, para la descripcion de las Indias

Juan López de Velasco
1577
Detail of a hand colored lithograph shows enslaved Black people planting sugar cane in an open field.

[Post-emancipation Life]

Ladies' Society for Promoting the Early Education of Negro Children
1833-1837
picture of title page of Mudo lamento

Mudo lamento de la vastissima, y numerosa Gentilidad, que habita las dilatadas margenes del caudaloso Orinoco, su origen, y vertientes, à los piadosos oídos de la Magestad Catholica de las Españas, nuestro señor Don Phelipe Quinto (que Dios guarde).

TAPIA, Matías
1715
Detail of a printed book shows a full-page illustration of a man smoking while seated and another man throwing water on him. Text in English on the opposite page.

Little truths better than great fables

William Darton
1794
Detail of a printed map shows text in French, latitude and longitude lines, and small mountains.

Le pilote de l'isle de Saint-Domingue et des débouquemens de cette isle…

1788
Detail of a hand-colored manuscript map shows small depth markers, forest, and a label "Nuevitas" and other surrounding landmarks.

Plano del Puerto de Nuevitas en la Costa Norte de la Isla de Cuba levantado para mejor conocimiento por orden del Dto. Maritimo

circa 1828