Collection Type: possessory
Quantity: 111 units.
Chronological framework: the first half of the 17th century – beginning of the
18th century.
Language characteristics: European languages, Latin.
Additional information: The NLB is the owner of the largest collection of Elzevir editions in the country. The Elzevir publications, which are called “Elsevirs”, represent a whole era in the history of book art. The great merit of the publishing house is the distribution of high-quality and relatively inexpensive books. The “Elzevirs” in the department’s collection are mainly represented by editions of ancient authors’ works: Cicero – “Opera” (1642), G. Y. Caesar – “C[aii] Julii Caesaris quae extant” (1661), Horace – “[Opera]” (1676), Titus Livius – “Historiarum libri” (1654), Ovid – “Opera” (1658—1661), Tacitite – “C. Cornelii Taciti Opera” (1673), Seneca – “Opera omnia” (1658—1659) and etc. There are scientific works of Rene Descartes – “Renati Des-Cartes opera philosophica” (1678), works of Czech teacher J. A. Komensky – “J[oannis] A[mos] Comenii Janua linguarum reserata” (1665), writings of T. Campanella – “De Monarchia Hispanica” (1653), Erasmus of Rotterdam – “Colloquia nunc emendatiora” (1650), works of Scottish poet and prose writer John Barclay – “Argenis” (1630), of Italian poet Torquato Tasso – “Aminta, favola boscareccia” (1678).
Possessory marks: a number of books contain possessory records, stamps, imprints, bookplates.
Entry into collection: 1922 – till present.
Sources: Сапега, Т. А. Старопечатные книги Эльзевиров / Татьяна Сапега // Where Minsk : ваш персональный гид : городской журнал / учредитель ЗАО “СПН-Медиа”. – 2011. – № 10. – С. 22.
Registration number: K-000000005