| Subject Specialist |
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Dr Donald Kerr, F.L.S.
Special Collections Librarian
University of Otago Library
65 Albany Street
Dunedin, 9016
NEW ZEALAND
Tel 64 3 479 8330
Fax 64 3 479 8327
special.collections
@otago.ac.nz
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Central Library Special Collections
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Esmond de Beer in his study, 31 Brompton Square,
London, 27.01.1976.
Photographer: Gary Blackman. |
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| G. Poleni. Excencitationes vitruvianae... 1739. |
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Related information
De Beer collection
The de Beer Collection, comprising nearly six thousand volumes, is the
Library's principal repository for pre-1800 material and showcases aspects
of European civilization and culture from the Renaissance to the end of
the 18th century. It is named after Dr Esmond de Beer and his sisters,
Dora and Mary, who donated and financed a large part of the collection.
The strengths of the collection are:
- 18th-century English poetry including the Iolo A. Williams collection,
and 18th- century play scripts
- Esmond de Beer's John Evelyn collection of books acquired while editing
the definitive edition of The diary of John Evelyn
- European travel and guide books dating from 1499 to the 18th century,
relating particularly to Italy and Rome
- Esmond de Beer's John Locke collection which de Beer acquired while
editing The correspondence of John Locke
- European architecture in the classical tradition, particularly 17th-
& 18th-century Rome
- Early Italian poetry
^ Top of page
Brasch collection
This collection of 7,000 titles comprises the personal library of Dr
Charles Orwell Brasch (1909-1973), poet and founder of Landfall. The
emphasis is on literature, art, history, Egyptology and religion. It is
particularly rich in 20th-century poetry and New Zealand literature. Many
of the books (including many volumes of poetry in limited editions) contain
inscriptions by the authors, together with his own notes and clippings
from reviews. Dr Brasch also gifted the Library with a collection of etchings
by Giovanni Battista Piranesi.
^ Top of page
Shoults collection
The collection of about 4,000 volumes is the library of Canon William
Arderne Shoults (1839-1887) of England and it was deposited in the Library
by the owners, the Board of Selwyn College. Strengths include European
history, theology, Greek and Roman literature, dictionaries, atlases,
works of reference and many fine examples of early printers.
Manuscripts
The 39 items include two Books of Hours, a Breviary, fragments of medieval
manuscripts and assorted letters.
^ Top of page
Post-1800 stack collection
This collection comprises over one thousand items which are fragile,
rare or valuable. Notable 19th century items include Andrew Smith's Zoology
of South Africa (1849), Berthold Seeman's Flora Vitiensis (1865-73), and
works (in parts) by Dickens and Thackeray. 20th-century literary works
include a substantial collection of works by Robert Graves, first editions
of W.H. Auden, E.M. Forster, Edwin Muir, and Stephen Spender, and illustrated
books by Eric Gill and Robert Gibbings. There are typescripts of Ludwig
Wittgenstein's Lectures on Philosophical Psychology, and his Blue book,
as dictated to his classes in 1933-34. The collection also contains local
and international examples of limited edition private press publications.
^ Top of page
Hogg collection
55 works associated with James Hogg (1770-1835),
the Scottish poet and "Ettrick Shepherd" who fournded Blackwood's
magazine.
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Mellor collection
146 titles (incl. 39 mss.) contains reprints or articles, manuscripts
and books from library of Joseph William Mellor, the eminent chemist and
pioneer in clay technology. A graduate of the University of Otago, he
was author of the standard textbook Modern inorganic chemistry.
^ Top of page
McGlashan collection
88 titles (100 vols.) from the library of John McGlashan (1802-1864)
an early Otago politician, lawyer and educationalist. McGlashan's pre-1800
imprints are kept in the de Beer Collection.
^ Top of page
Art works
The art collection includes:
- Giovanni Battista Piranesi, 25 etchings
from the series Vedute di Roma (Views of Rome) and Antichita
Romane.
- Portrait of Charles Brasch by Evelyn Page
- Busts of Charles Brasch by Peter Beadle and of Esmond de Beer by Anthony
Stones
- Colin McCahon mural A Waterfall , theme & variations
- View the list of art works on
display
^ Top of page
Otakou press room
- The Otakou press room contains an Albion press, made by Hopkinsons of London in 1845, which is likely
to have been the first press used in Otago when Henry B. Graham printed
the prospectus for the Otago news on 24 November 1848.
- The Columbian or "Eagle" Press was used by the printing
firm Matthews & Baxter.
- A Phoenix "platen press" and a Vandercook #4 proofing press.
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Dr Shef Rogers, English Department, is responsible for the presses which
are used in the academic teaching programme.
Email: shef.rogers@otago.ac.nz.
Enquiries regarding the use of the room should be forwarded to the Special
Collections Librarian.
Email: special.collections@otago.ac.nz
^ Top of page
Hours
- Monday to Friday - 8:30 am to 5.00 pm
- Saturday, Sunday and Public holidays - Closed
^ Top of page
Catalogues
University of Otago Library
- Otago Library Catalogue
- Card Catalogue - At Special Collections in Central Library. Use for
pre-1800 English imprints acquired prior to 1985
- Rare Books Shelf List - At Special Collections in Central Library.
Pre-1800 imprints are usefully arranged by country and date of publication
- Hakena -
Hocken Collections catalogue of archives & manuscripts
National & international
- Te Puna (National
Bibliographic Database, Archive, INNZ & Puna Kupu) - contains all
items except pre-1800 imprints cataloged before 1985
- New Zealand Union catalogue - New Zealand Union catalogue- items catalogued
before July 1986 (not comprehensive). This catalogue on microfiche is
in the Reference Department, Central Library
- RLIN - The Library's pre-1800 imprints have been recorded by the Early
Imprints Project (EIP). Most holdings of English imprints appear on
the RLIN database
^ Top of page
Enquiries and consultations
Items in the Special Collections may be consulted upon presentation of
approved identification.
Classes and tours are available for senior students and special interest
groups.
Please address enquiries relating to the Collections to:
Special Collections Librarian
University of Otago Library
PO Box 56
65 Albany Street
Dunedin 9054
NEW ZEALAND
Tel 64 3 479 8330
Fax 64 3 479 8327
Email special.collections@otago.ac.nz
^ Top of page
Purchases for the collections
Academic staff are invited to make suggestions about purchases. Antiquarian
booksellers' catalogues are available for consultation from the Special
Collections Librarian.
Email: special.collections@otago.ac.nz
^ Top of page
Special Collections in other libraries
^ Top of page
Publications
- Manion, M., V. Hines, and C. de Hamel. Medieval and Renaissance
Manuscripts in New Zealand Collections. Melbourne: Thames and Hudson,
1989. - Ref/ ND/ 2894/N5/ M855
- Stewart, Ian. A descriptive bibliography of books containing printed
music in the de Beer and Shoults collections, University of Otago Library
compiled... as a partial requirement for the Diploma in Librarianship.
Wellington: Victoria University of Wellington, 1992. Unpublished. -
7LZ6/S.
- Taylor, Douglass W. The Monro collection in the Medical Library
of the University of Otago; a descriptive catalogue with annotations
and an introduction by Douglass W. Taylor. Dunedin: University of
Otago Press, 1979 [i.e. 1980]. - Ref/ WZ/ 54/ Z08 and the Medical Library.
- Tinker, Elizabeth. Incunabula: a catalogue of 15th century books
from the cradle of printing. Dunedin: University of Otago Library,
1996.
- Tinker, Elizabeth. Roman splendour: images of Rome from ... rare
books of the 16th to 18th centuries. Dunedin: University of Otago
Library, 1996.
- Tinker, Elizabeth. Rare Books and Special Collections: a guide
for readers. Dunedin: University of Otago Library, 1994.
- University of Otago Library. A checklist of the de Beer collection
of the University of Otago Library, consisting mainly of volumes of
eighteenth century English verse and prose presented by Esmond S. de
Beer. Dunedin: The Library, 1963. Supplement. Dunedin: The Library,
1979. - Ref/ Z/ 2012/OV6.
- University of Otago Library. Checklist of the Locke collection
of Dr. Esmond de Beer donated to the University of Otago Library.
Dunedin: The Library, 1984. Unpublished limited edition - Ref/ B/1297/ZU5
- University of Otago Library. The Robert Graves collection of the
University of Otago Library: a checklist. Dunedin: University of
Otago, 1972. - Ref/ PR/ 6013/ R35/ZO75.
Last revised:
8 July, 2011
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