Rare Books Collection
About the Rare Books Collection
- The University of Wollongong Library holds a small, though varied collection
of rare books, pamphlets and ephemera, numbering some 900 individual items--all are accessible via the catalogue.
- The Rare Books Collection,
housed in the Archives Reading Room on the ground floor of the Library,
comprises publications dating from as early as 1582 (Boccacci's Il Decameron),
through to limited edition art books such as Morris West's The Heretic
- A Play in Three Acts (Sydney, 1988), scientific treatises including
William Whitson's A New Theory of the Earth (London, 1696), and more recent
material.
- Original books in the Library's collection published prior to
1800 (numbering some 35 items) are also housed in Rare Books and listed
below.
Accessing and using the Rare Books Collection
- The Rare Books Collection is housed in the Archives Reading Room on the ground floor of the Library
- All items can be located through the Library catalogue.
- To access items from the Rare Books Collection, ask at the Research Help Desk.
- Rare
books cannot be borrowed
or photocopied, due to their inherent rarity and fragility.
Highlights of the Collection
- Giovanni Boccacci, Il Decameron di Messer Giovanni Boccacci,
Cittadin Fiorentino, Per li Giunti di Firenze, Venezia, 1582. Censured
edition, bound in vellum. 853.1/Boc/16
- Morris West, The Heretic - A Play in Three Acts, Isotame Press,
Sydney, 1988. One of 20 original copies bound in vellum and illustrated
with original lithographic prints by Idris Murphy. 828.992004/Wes-1/1
- L. Holmes and G. Black, Oddilly the Goat, Lloyd McPherson,
Canberra, 1988. Illustrated book on acid-free paper, with original hand-coloured
linocuts and calligraphic text. 828.993004/Hol-5/1
- R.G. Chapman and C.T. Duval, Charles Darwin 1809-1882: A Centennial
Commemoration, Nova Pacifica, Wellington, 1982, 376p. Edition of 750
copies, bound in leather with slip case. 515.0762/88
- William Shakespeare, The Works of William Shakespeare: The text
of the First Folio with Quart Variants and a Selection of Modern Readings,
7 volumes, Nonesuch Press, New York, 1929-33. Edition of 1050 copies,
bound in full leather. 822.33-I/5
- Sydney Ure Smith (ed.), Art in Australia, Ure Smith, Sydney,
1916-44. A collection of various volumes from the first and second series.
705.0994/1
Items in the Rare Books Collection published prior
to 1800
For the 35 items in this group, the following information is given:
date of publication, author, title, publication details and University
of Wollongong Library location number.
-
1582 - Giovanni Boccacci, Il Decameron di Messer Giovanni
Boccacci, Cittadin Fiorentino...., Per li Giunti di Firenze, Venezia.
853.1/Boc/16
-
1638 - Francis Bacon, History Naturall and Experimental of Life and
Death or of the Prolongation of Life, J. Haviland, London, 434p. 192/Bac/10
-
1665 - Robert Boyle, Occasional Reflections Upon Several Subjects:
Whereto is Premis'd a Discourse about Such Kind of Thoughts, W. Wilson,
London, 229p. 100/22
-
1687 - John Norris, A Collection of Miscellanties: Consisting of
Poems, Essays, Discourses, and Letters, Occasionally Written, John
Crosley, Oxford, 467p. 828.4/Nor-1/1
-
1688 - Diogenes Laertius, De Vitis Philosphorum. The Lives, Opinions,
and Remarkable Sayings of the Most Famous Ancient Philosophers, Edward
Brewster, London, 589p.180.92/2
-
1692 - John Jewel, Apologia Ecclesiae Anglicanae, T. Dring, Londini,
183p. 283.42/56
-
1696 - William Whiston, A New Theory of the Earth: From its original
to the Consumation of All Things. Wherein the Creation of the World in
Six Days, the Universal Deluge, and the General Conflagration as laid
down in the Holy Scriptures, are shewn to be perfectly agreeable to Reason
and Philosophy, R. Roberts, London, 388p. 550/63
-
1700 - T. Brown et al., The Whole Comical Works of Monsr. Scarron.
Containing I. His Comical Romance of a Company of Stage Players. In Three
Parts, Compleat. II. All His Novels and Histories. III. His Select Letters,
Characters, etc., S. and F. Sprint et al., London, 359, 160, 64p.
843.4/SCA/1
-
1704 - Samuel Wesley, The History of the Old and New Testament Attempted
in Verse: and Adorn'd with Three Hundred and Thirty Sculpture, C.
Harper, London, 350p. 221/8
-
1706 - John Locke, Posthumous Works of Mr John Locke, A. and
J. Churchill, London, 336p. 192/Loc/17
-
1715 - Hugo Grotius, De Jure Belli et Pacis. Rights of War and Peace:
In Three Volumes, in which are explain'd the Laws and Claims of Nature
and Nations..., 3 vols., Brown, Ward & Meares, London. 341/19
-
1718 - Freiherr von Samuel Pufendorf, De Officio Hominis et Civis.
Les Deviors del L'Homme et Due Citoien Tels Qu'ils Lui Font Preferits
par la Loi naturelle. Traduits du Latin de Feu Mr. Le Baron de Pufendorf
par Jean Barbeyrac, 2 vols., Pierre de Coup, Amsterdam. 340.1/94
-
1726 - Issac Watts, Logick: or the right use of reason in the enquiry
after truth: with a variety of rules to guard against error, in the affairs
of religion and human life, as well as in the sciences, John Clark
et al., London, 365p.160/95
-
1730 - William Whiston, Historical Memoirs of the Life of Dr. Samuel
Clarke: Being a Supplement to Dr Syke's and Bishop Hoadley's Accounts.
Including certain Memoirs of several of Dr. Clarke's Friends, Fletcher
Gyles and J. Roberts, London, 111p. 110.0924/1
-
1731 - William Wollasten, The Religion of Nature Delineated,
James and John Knapton, London, 219p. 210/16
-
1733 - Francois Marie Arouet de Voltaire, Letters Concerning the
English Nation, Davis, London, 267p. 914.2/10A
-
1734-38 - Pierre Bayle, Dictionnaire Historique et Critique. Mr Bayle's
Historical and Critical Dictionary, 5 vols., J.J. and P. Knapton,
London. 920.02/11
-
1739 - The History of the Life of Peter the First, Emperor of Russia:
Containing a description of Russia or Muscovy, Siberia, Crim Tartary,
etc. With an account of the government, religion, ceremonies and superstitions,
customs, manners and dress of the inhabitants, Booksellers in Town and
Country, London, 387p. 947.05/12
-
1739 - Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Seneca's Morals by Way of Abstract:
To which is added, A Discourse Under the Title of An After-Thought, by
Sir Rober L'Estrange, Knt., G. Strahan et al., London, 28, 475p. 170.202/25
-
1740 - John Banks, A New History of the Life and Reign of the Czar
Peter the Great, J. Hodges, London, 354p. 947.050924/10
-
1747 - Antoine de la Fosse, Les Oeuvres de Monsieur de la Fosse:
De la Fosse, Vol. 1, Compagnie des Libraires Affocies, Paris. 842.4/Laf/1
-
1750 - Rene Antoine de Reaumer, The Art of Hatching and bringing
up domestic fowls of all kind, at any time of the year: either by means
of the heat of hot-beds or that of common fire, Davis, London, 470p.
636.5082/1
-
1753 - Jonathan Swift, The Works of Jonathan Swift, Vol.7, G.
Faulkner, Dublin. 827.5/SWI/30.
-
1775 - Jonathon Edwards, A Careful and Strict Enquiry into the Modern
Prevailing Notions of that Freedom of Will, which is supposed to be essential
to Moral Agency, Virtue and Vice, Reward and Punishment, Praise and Blame,
J. Johnson, London 432p. 230.58/3
-
1779 - Pierre Abelard, Letters of Abelard and Heloise: To which is
Prefixed a Particular Account of Their Lives, Armours and Misfortunes,
by John Hughes; Together with The Poem of Eloisa to Abelard, by Pope,
J. Vallance, Dublin, 233p. 189.4/11
-
1784 - The New Annual Register, or, General Repository of History,
Politics and Literature, G.G.J. and J. Robinson, London. 909/53
-
1790-3 - James Beattie, Elements of Moral Science, 2 vols., Cadell
and Creech, Edinburgh. 170/304
-
1790-9 - William Smellie, The Philosophy of Natural History,
2vols., Charles Elliott, Edinburgh. 500.9/4
-
1791 - Sir William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England...,
T. Cadell, London. 340.0942/5C
-
1792 - John Hunter, Observations on certain parts of the Animal Oeconomy,
G. Nicol, London, 277p. 591.4/5
-
1792 - Sir John Comyns,. Reports of Cases Argued and Adjudged in
the Courts of King's Bench, Common Pleas, and Exchequer..., Whieldon
and Butterworth, London. 348.4104/1
-
1794 - Tom Telescope, The Newtonian System of Philosophy: Adapted
to the Capacilites of Young Ladies and Gentlemen, and Familiarized and
Made Entertaining by Objects with which they are Intimately Acquainted,
Ogilvy and Speare, London, 136p. 500/165
-
1796 - John Lord Sheffiled (ed.), Miscellaneous Works of Edward Gibbon,
3 vols., P. Wogan et al., Dublin. 937.00924/1
-
1799 - Religious Tract Society, Life of John Wesley, The Society,
London, 233p. 189.4/11
-
1799 - The Life of Catherine II, Empress of Russia: With seven Portraits
Elegantly Engraved and a Correct Map of the Russian Empire, 3 vols., Longman
& Rees, London. 947.063/8
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