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Rare Books and Special Collections
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Collection highlights
Biggest
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Carte topographique de l’Egypte
Carte topographique de l’Egypteis the biggest item in the Library's Rare Books collection.
The three volumes measure 112 cm x 70 cm and weigh over 22 kilos each. The volumes are a part of the immense 23 volume set of Description de l'Égypte ; ou, Recueil de observations et des recherches qui ont été faites en Égypte pendant l'éxpédition de l'armée française that covers the geology, geography, flora, fauna, antiquity and contemporary society of Egypt in the late 18th century to the early 19th century. They were published at the insistence of Napoleon from 1809 to 1828.
Description de l'Égypte
State Library of NSW: RB/ BX932A/ 38 - 58
Carte topographique de l’Egypte
State Library of NSW: SAFE/RB/BX932A/ 58 - 60
Smallest
The smallest book in the Library's collection is a miniature book containing the Lord's Prayer in English (Anglican and Catholic versions), Dutch, French, German, Spanish and Swedish. It's less than 5 mm in height — half the size of an aspirin tablet!
It is a true printing from hand-set type and has been hand sewn and bound in full leather with a gold stamped cover and spine. It's enclosed in a lucite case and contains a built-in 15 power magnifying unit, but you still need exceptionally good eye sight to read it!
Oldest printed book
Quaestiones in primum librum sententiarum
Johannes Duns Scotus' Quaestiones in primum librum sententiarum is the oldest printed book in the Rare Books collection. It was published in 1472 in Venice. It's also the first printing of an important work by a major philosopher.
Rarest printed book
Secreta mulierum et virorum (The secret history of women or Secrets of Women) is the Library's rarest printed book as there is no other known copies of this edition. The book is by Henry of Saxony though it is often incorrectly attributed to St Albert the Great. It's thought to have been published in Paris around 1490 by Denis Roce or Roche.
Oldest manuscript
The Library's oldest manuscript is The Book of Isaiah from the Old Testament in the Latin Vulgate version. This dates from about 1225 CE and is of Italian origin. There is only a small amount of illumination but it is a reasonably well preserved example of the layout of a medieval text with commentary.
The unexpected and unusual
Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol's Interview. Volume 1, Best of the first decade 1969- 1979
The library holds a limited edition of Andy Warhol's Interview. Volume 1, Best of the first decade 1969- 1979 in the Rare Books collection. It's uniquely housed in a special wooden trolley with a retractable handle. Andy Warhol founded the magazine, Interview, in 1969 with British journalist, John Wilcock.
These two limited first editions are part of the Donald MacPherson Collection of Art and Literature:
Clay tablet
Clay tablet with Sumerian cuneiform inscription [realia]
The oldest item in the Library is a clay tablet. It was donated in 1940 by Mr J Yared. The inscription is in Sumerian and dates to the reign of Sîn-kašid (c1860 BCE) who ruled the city of Uruk, located in the south of modern-day Iraq.
It is one of the many tablets bearing similar inscriptions that have been recovered from the foundations of Sîn-kašid’s palace at Uruk. They were placed in every fourth course of bricks during construction, ensuring that when the mud-brick palace needed future renovation, Sîn-kašid’s name and deeds would be admired by his successors. The Sumerian inscription records the king’s name, titles and epithets, stating that he built a royal palace.
Kammavaca
Kammavaca. [Monks ordination manuscript in lacquer and gold on palm leaf over boards] [manuscript]
The Kammavaca is made up of extracts of the Pali Vinaya, the sacred text of Burmese Buddhists. It is traditionally given to young men on their ordination as monks. It has 2 teak-wood "covers" with bird and flower designs and 16 unbound "pages" each with 6 to 7 lines of text. The text on the boards was written with a gummy-like substance made of tamarind seed and overlaid with gold leaf.
The Library's edition is wrapped in cloth and is thought to have originated in Mandalay.
What's the oldest item in the collection?
[Clay Tablet with Sumerian Cuneiform Inscription] [Realia]. 2000 B.C.
State Library of NSW: RB/L0012/C
Beautiful rare herbal
The Herbarum vivae eicones or “Living portraits of Plants”, describes plants, their appearance, medicinal properties and has information on how to prepare and use them
State Library of NSW: MRB/Q615/B
Did you know?
The Library has a collection of globes including Cary's Pocket Globe which measures 77 mm in diameter and thought to have been made in 1771 and Bett's new portable terrestrial globe measuring at 123 cm in diameter.
Cary's new terrestrial globe drawn from the most recent geographical works
State Library of NSW: GLOBE 7
The unexpected and unusual
Andy Warhol's Interview. Volume 1, Best of the first decade 1969-1979
State Library of NSW: RB/F0443