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 from a printed book shows red and black text in Latin, geometrical sketches in the margins, and manuscript notations in the margins and underlining.

Ymago mundi

Pierre d'Ailly
circa 1483
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
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 printed book shows a circular illustration and text in Spanish.

Suma de geographia...

Martin Fernandez de Enciso
1546
Detail from a printed book shows a fold-out illustration depicting ships in a bay engaging in naval warfare.

De Americaensche zee-roovers

Alexandre Olivier Exquemelin
1678
Detail of a printed map shows decorative elements such a sun, a person carrying arrows, ships and fish at sea, a scale, and a key with text in French at the bottom of the map.

Carte geographique de la Nouvelle France

Samuel de Champlain
1612
Detail of an engraved map shows people standing around a tent that is surrounded by a grid layout.

A View of Savanah as it stood the 29th of March. 1734

Peter Gordon
1734
Printed document shows details of a sugar plantation with manuscript notes.

Particulars of two valuable sugar plantations, St. Kitts . . .

Brettell, Rupert Street, Haymarket
1828
Detail of a hand colored manuscript map shows villages labeled in Spanish such as "Pueblo de S. Pablo" and "Pueblo de Huitziltzinco." Churches, trees, and bodies of water are also included in the map.

El presente mapa demuestra la cituacion, plano, y repartimiento, que en la actualidad tienen los arroyos, que bajan de Sierra Nevada…

Felipe de Zúñiga y Ontiveros
1770
Detail of an embroidered cloth book binding shows letters "JHS" in gold and green beads.

[Abecedario]

1813
Detail of a printed book shows a colored illustrated dragons on a circular diagram with text in Latin.

Astronomicum cæsareum

Peter Apian
1540
Detail of a hand colored manuscript estate plan shows a large compass rose and trees on the estate.

[Estate plan of 300 acres of land near Holetown, Barbados]

John Hapcott
1646
Detail of a printed text shows full-page illustrations of tools for the preparation of hot chocolate.

Du Bon usage du thé, du caffé et du chocolat pour la preservation & pour la guerison des maladies.

Nicolas de Blegny
1687
Detail of brown book binding shows the embossed details.

La istoria de las Indias. y Conquista de Mexico

López de Gómara
1552
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
Engraved fold-out map shows Greenland spelled "Grœnland" and other text in German.

Historie von Grönland

David Cranz
1765-1770