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Lectionarium Evangeliorum
This manuscript, written in Italy in the XVth century, begins with the Second Mass of Christmas. It contains illuminated initials and the original wooden boards and white pigskin cover. Appearing inside is the bookplat e of Thomas S. Ashton, whose books were sold in London on February 17, 1783. De Ricci also cites this work in his census.
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Koburger Bible
Perhaps the most valuable item in Special Collections, this German Bible was printed in Nuremberg in 1483 by Anthony Koburger, father-in-law of Albrecht Duerer, a number of years before Luther's famous German translation of the Bible appeared in print. It is one of the few examples in our collection of incunabula (books printed in the fifteenth century, the "cradle days" of printing).
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Book of Kells Facsimile
Painstakingly fashioned from handmade paper, this book was faithfully recreated to resemble the original work in Dublin down to the smallest details such as holes in the paper and the irregular sizing of the pages. The or iginal Book of Kells was written by Irish monks in the VIIIth century and is considered the foremost example of early medieval Celtic art. Made in Switzerland, this beautiful facsimile was donated by Mrs. Julia Boyer Reinstein of Cheektowaga, NY.
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John Lightfoot Bible
Printed in Rheims in 1582, this English translation of the New Testament is unusual because it was signed by a John Lightfoot in 1639 on the title page. To indicate ownership of a Roman Catholic Bible at that time was considered quite dangerous.
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Aztec Facsimile
The original manuscript, Codex Vaticanus 3773, has been in the Vatican Library since 1566. It is a notable example of Aztec picture writing.
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Koran
The date of composition is unknown for this manuscript, but it is a fine example of early Arabic writing. A note placed inside the binding states that it was taken from the Turks in a battle in Hungary before 1571 by a Count Schwarzburg.
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Papal Bull
Printed in 1485 and housed in its own special case is this very unique item in the Special Collections Room, the papal bull decreeing the canonization of Saint Leopold.
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Books of Hours
Two important Books of Hours (prayerbooks for laypeople) appear in the Special Collections Room. Both are manuscripts, beautifully illuminated, from the XVth century. One, written in France, contains the original wooden boards and stamped calfskin, and is lined with vellum fragments of a XIVth century liturgical manuscript. The other, written in Italy, includes illuminated initials and borders, and is encased in a white vellum wrapper. Seymour de Ricci cites both of the Hours in his Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada (New York, 1940).
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History of the Town of Plymouth
This book is kept in Special Collections because the reputed autograph of Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, appears on its frontispiece.