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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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Printed text shows a circular diagram below text in Latin.

Breves in sphaeram meditatiunculae

Bartholomaeus Mercator
1563
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 from a printed texts shows a full-page illustration of Fort Caroline. Details include topography, trees, and text in French.

Plan of Fort Caroline

1565
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
Detail of an engraved map shows the direction of flow of the "Golfe de Floride." Other text in French labels nearby landmarks such as "Isles de Bahama.'

The Gulf Stream flowing northwards…

Benjamin Franklin
1778
Detail from book cover shows flower pattern with red details.

Descripçaõ da arvore assucareira

Hipolito Jose da Costa
1800
Detail of a pink, orange, and blue colored, engraved map shows islands of Philippines such as "Masbate" and "Ticao." Other details include a line partially labelled "de la Nao para la Nueva Espanna."

Carte Hydrographique & Chorographique des Isles Philippines…

Pedro Murillo Velarde
1760
Detail of a hand colored printed map shows text in French reading "Terre-Neuve," latitude and longitude lines, and labels over other geographical areas.

Carte reduite des bancs et de l'Ile de Terre-Neuve avec les cotes du Golf de St. Laurent et de l'Acadie

[Depot de la Marine]
1784
Detail of a printed book shows text in French that indicate foods such as "Pain Frais" and "Biscuit" with corresponding amounts in ounces.

Composition de la ration des gens de mer

French Admiralty
1785
Detail of a printed book shows worn papers and header text reading "An Anagram. Anna Bradestreate" and other text in English.

The tenth muse lately sprung up in America

Anne Bradstreet
1650
Detail from a printed text a series of four illustrations that depict the journey by ship to the Isle of Pines.

The Isle of Pines

Henry Neville
1668
Detail of a hand colored map, engraved in copper, shows Latin text.

Claudii Ptolemaei Cosmographaie [sic]

Ptolemy
1477
Printed title page includes decorative border and text in English reading "The Whole Book of Psalmes Faithfully translated into English metre." Left side of the page shows manuscript notations.

The whole booke of Psalmes faithfully translated into English metre

1640
Detail of gold JCB stamp on black binding.

Principall navigations, voiages, and discoveries of the English nation

Edward Wright
1598
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 manuscript shows text in Spanish.

Ofrenda política con que se pretende dar idea para más fácil y pronto uso del Govierno universal de nuestras Indias

Manuel Jose de Ayala
1767
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