Heritage collection
The Elsevier Heritage Collection consists of over 2000 volumes with more than 1000 distinct titles published by the original House of Elzevier from 1580 to 1712. The collection is divided into our core collection, of around 1500 volumes and a reserve or “duplicate” collection. Approximately 400 non-Elzevier antiquarian titles and over 30 reference titles are also preserved in our museum quality, acclimatized display shelves in our Elsevier headquarters in Amsterdam.
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Ptolemy's Geography
Ptolomy's Geographia, written in the 2nd century and printed in 1618-1619 by Isaac Elzevier, remained fundamental up to far into the 17th century.
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De Laet on the West Indies
The second enlarged Dutch edition of De Laet’s description of the West Indies, printed in 1630, remains a major historical source on the activities of the Dutch West India Company.
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Stevin's Mathematical Works
Les oeuvres mathématiques, by Simon Stevin, one of the Low Countries' most famous mathematicians, printed in 1634.
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De Laet's New World
The first French edition of Johannes de Laet's description of the West Indies: L’histoire du Nouveau Monde, ou Description des Indes Occidentales, printed in 1640.
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Piso on Brazil's natural history
De Indiae utriusque re naturali et medica is one of the most important scientific works on the New World, written by William Piso, personal physician to the governor of Brazil.
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Neander on tobacco's medicinal uses
Tabacologia, by Johan Neander, was printed in 1622 by Isaac Elzevier, official printer to the University of Leiden.
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Galileo's Dialogue
This 1635 edition of Galileo’s Dialogo Systema Cosmicum was published at the Elzeviers’ expense and printed in Strasbourg while Galileo was under house arrest.
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Galileo's Two New Sciences
Galileo’s final published work and greatest achievement, recognized as the first systematic attempt to give a mathematical treatment of kinematics.
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Dieu's Persian grammar
One of the earliest European Persian grammars, printed in 1639.
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Van Helmont's medical treatises
J.B. van Helmont’s Opuscula medica inauditaandhis Ortus medicinae, which discusses the treatment of leprosy, epilepsy, paralysis, stones, fevers, Galenic humors, and the plague.
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Huygens on quadrature
A rare first edition of the first publication of Christiaan Huygens, the famous and versatile Dutch mathematician and astronomer. Printed in 1651.
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Huygens on finding magnitude of circle
The first edition of Christiaan Huygens' second work. De circuli magnitudine inventawas of fundamental importance for the further development of the science of mathematics.
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Grotius on the Freedom of the Seas
The first edition of a foundational text in modern international law, Hugo Grotius’ Mare liberum.
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Descartes' Meditations on First Philosophy
Second edition of the Meditationes de prima philosophia, the first book by Descartes published by the Elzeviers.
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Erpenius standard Arabic grammar
An Arabic grammar by Thomas Erpenius, the greatest Orientalist scholar of his time, whose types were later purchased by the Elzeviers.
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Saumaise on usury
The first edition of one of the best works of the time on usury by the classical scholar Salmasius (Claude Saumaise).
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Tulp's Medical Observations
The richly illustrated first edition of Nicolaes Tulp’s 1641 Observationum medicarum.
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Comenius trilingual textbook
The French/Latin/Greek trilingual edition of one of Comenius’s principal works, a phrasebook that went through countless editions.
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A French cookbook
Extremely popular handbook for confectioners, in a beautiful binding created by two of the 19th century's master binders.
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Schurman's Small Writing in Hebrew, Greek, Latin, French
Anna Maria Schurman's Opuscula hebraea, graeca, latina, gallica in a contemprorary School-prize binding. Schurman was considered the most learned woman of her age.
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Vitruvius on architecture
Elzievier's only edition of Vitruvius' classic on Architecture with new woodcut illustrations.
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Harvey on procreation
William Harvey’s De generatione animalium, the most important book to appear in the seventeenth century on procreation.
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Van Schooten Jr. on conic sections
Franciscus van Schooten’s De organica conicarum sectionum in plano descriptione, tractatus,an innovative work combining classical Greek conics with Descartes' algebraic system and Germanic practice.
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Cluverius on ancient Sicily
Philippus Cluverius’ Sicilia antiqua, an important contribution to the study of the geography of antiquity.
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Anton Gerits
Librarian and Book Collector's Consultant.
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Donna Sy
Curatorial Consultant.
Meet our Experts
Watch the videos
The Elsevier Heritage Collection
January 2011
Mapping the Collection
April 2011
Launching the Catalogue
July 2011
On the Road with the Elzeviers
October 2011
