hdslibrary

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Big Bird

Look at this fabulous giant birb gracing the title page of a 17th century Greek dictionary!

Hesychius, of Alexandria. Hesychiou lexikon, cum variis doctorum virorum notis vel editis ante hac vel ineditis, Junii, Scaligeri, Salmasii...Lugd. Batav., Roterod., ex officina Hackiana, 1668.

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H is for HDS Library Book on Display in New York!

We are honored to have one of our rare books displayed as part of an exhibit titled, "The Book of Esther in the Age of Rembrandt" at the Jewish Museum of New York until August 10, 2025!

In the age of Rembrandt van Rijn (1606 – 1669), the biblical Book of Esther was a key source of inspiration for diverse communities in Holland, both Jewish and Christian. Traditionally, the Esther story is read annually on the Jewish holiday of Purim. For immigrant Jewish communities living with new freedom in more tolerant Amsterdam, celebrating Purim—notably through finely produced Esther scrolls and theater productions—became meaningful expressions of Jewish culture. For the Dutch, Queen Esther’s heroism came to represent their emerging nation’s identity. Rembrandt and his contemporaries depicted essential scenes of Esther’s story in paintings, prints, drawings, and decorative arts. This exhibition gives expression to this full range of the Book of Esther’s popularity and meaning in Rembrandt’s time.

The HDS Library contribution is a Dutch bible from 1649 that includes a lovely initial H illustrated with a scene of Esther before the king.

More info about the exhibit is here.

Photo credit (images 1 & 2): Installation view of "The Book of Esther in the Age of Rembrandt," at the Jewish Museum, NY, March 7–August 10, 2025. Photo by Kris Graves.

Biblia, dat is, de gantsche H. Schrifture, vervattende alle de Canonijcke Boecken des Ouden en des Nieuwen Testaments... In 's Graven-hage: Bij de Weduwe ende Erfgenamen van wijlẽ Hillebrant Iacobsz. van Wouw, ordris Druckers vande Hoogh-Mog. Heeren Staten Generael, [1649].

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Bad Luck is Relative

It's already Friday the Thirteenth, but just in case you were worried about any other bad luck signifiers today, we hope that this particular black cat is the only one to cross your path.

The image is from one of our old favorites (and a favorite of our students), the Lolcat Bible. More info and images are in this post.

Grondin, Martin. LOLcat bible: in teh beginnin Ceiling Cat maded teh skiez an da erfs n stuffs. Berkeley, Calif.: Ulysses Press, c2010.

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Mystic Monday x 2

More theosophical symbols from a book containing works by mystical Christian thinker Jacob Böhme. These titles were printed almost 175 years after the author's death, speaking to the sustained interest in his works.

This is the latest in our occasional Mystic Monday series. Keep your eyes peeled for more!

Böhme, Jakob. Die letzte Posaune an alle Völker oder Prophezeyungen des gottseligen und hocherleuchteten Theosophi Jacob Böhmens. Berlin; Leipzig: bey Christian Ulrich Ringmacher, 1779.

Böhme, Jakob. Theosophische Beschreibung der Tinktur der Weisen und der Cur aller Krankheiten aus der gottseligen Jakob Böhmens Schriften. Berlin; Leipzig: bey Christian Ulrich Ringmacher, 1780.

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G is for Grrrr

...Or Good Dogs! This is one of many clever and elegantly designed decorated initials found in the 1522 Johannes Froben printing of Erasmus's version and translation of the New Testament.

Novvm testamentvm omne, tertio iam ac diligentius ab Erasmo Roterodamo recognitum. Basileae: Johannes Frobenius, 1522.

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Just Another Mystic Monday

Illustrations for this 1700 collection of writings by Christian mystic, Jacob Böhme, do not disappoint. In addition to the striking, full page eye, we have an otherworldly garden with flowers, a heart nailed to a cross, and a swarm of bees. (But did the librarian need to apply the ownership stamp right there?)

Böhme, Jakob. Der für die einfältigen epitomirte nicht tunckel, sondern klar und deutlich, redende hocherleuchtete Jacob Boehme; oder Seraphinisch Blumen-Gärtlein. Amsterdam [Wetstein?] 1700.

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Discovered in the Stacks: Abolitionist Serial

Even after inventories and barcoding projects, we still discover materials that have eluded cataloging. This short run (possibly unrecorded until now!) was found with a call number label, but without any record in the online catalog.

The Christian Reformer (renamed The Christian Reformer and Workingmen's Advocate early in the run) was an abolitionist and labor reform serial published at least in 1849-1850. The publisher, editor, and primary author is a Boston area abolitionist named Charles Stearns. Slavery is the prominent topic, and the journal provides accounts of meetings around the region to discuss the cause. The periodical also advocates for improved conditions for the working class (an “extra” insert calls for support of a Boston strike), and also insists on the need for reform of organized Christian religion. On the last point, the author seems particularly bothered by the profession of ministry, where people are paid to preach.

We invite scholars and interested researchers to visit and investigate this long-hidden resource!

The Christian reformer. Boston : [Charles Stearns], -[1849]

The Christian reformer and workingmen's advocate. Boston : [Charles Stearns], [1849]- 

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Peace Birb

Look at this sweet dove resting on Noah's Ark on the title page of this 1799 Dutch periodical! Sure, the scale of bird to boat might be a tad off, but we will not quibble. May it bring you even a brief moment of calm during troubling times.

De Arcke Noach. Amsterdam: H. Gartman, [1799?]

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Off with his Head

We recently hosted a class session where students explored English bibles and their illustrations. One image in particular was reproduced in a multitude of variations: the heroine Judith slaying enemy general, Holofernes. Depictions of this scene from the book of Judith have been popular for many centuries, with varying levels of gruesomeness.

This image, from an 18th century narrative version of the bible features a calm and smiling Judith handing the head to her equally unbothered maid, while the neck of Holofernes gushes gore.

Clarke, Laurence. A Compleat history of the holy Bible, contained in the Old and New Testament : in which are inserted the occurrences that happened during the space of four hundred years, from the days of the prophet Malachi to the birth of our blessed Saviour ... London : Printed for the author ... , 1739-1740.

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Functional Fore-Edges

A former owner has marked off the locations of individual titles within these bound volumes of pamphlets from the 19th century. Some markings look more functional and accurate than others, but regardless of how often these indexes were used, they suggest an owner who cared about the component parts of these volumes.

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Preachers, Hearers, Readers, and Scribes Conference: New Approaches to Early Modern Sermons in Manuscript

GEMMS (Gateway to Early Modern Manuscript Sermons) presents a joint conference with the Congregational Library in Boston, MA and Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge, MA, Thursday, October 3-Sunday, October 5, 2024.

Featured keynote speakers:

Dr. Frank Bremer (Millersville University of Pensylvania) on “John Winthrop and his Sermon Notebook.”

Dr. David Hall (Harvard University) on “Beyond ‘Doctrine‘: What was Being Said in Early New England?”

Professor Ann Hughes (Keele University) on “‘The Churches cordiall in her fainting fitts‘: Lay People Recording Sermons in the English Revolution.”

***For those in attendance on Saturday, we'll have some manuscript sermons and other materials on display in the HDS Library***

For details and registration, see: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/preachers-hearers-readers-and-scribes-conference-registration-949096662667

Students can register for free!

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Please, No More

We just finished a major shift of hundreds of oversized books in our rare book stacks. This was one of the very last books to be moved and our reaction to the label was an appropriately sarcastic, "Oh right, that's what we need. More works."

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Happy International Dog Day 2024!

We love this elegant (and absolutely RIPPED) dog waiting patiently as he waits to receive his name from the biblical Adam. Or perhaps he is just hanging out, waiting until Adam is done with the naming so a game of fetch can begin.

Bochart, Samuel. Opera Omnia. Editio quarta. Lvgduni Batavorum : Apud Cornelium Boutesteyn & Samuelem Luchtmans ; Trafecti ad Rhenum : Apud Guilielum vande Water, 1712. (v.2: Hierozoicon, sive Bipartitum opus de animalibus S. Scripturae.)

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National Book Lovers Day 2024!

From our stacks to your eyeballs: A small selection of gorgeous 19th century publisher's bindings.

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Fore-Edge Friday: Damage or Decoration?

I hope we'd be forgiven for assuming the top edge of this book (as seen in the first photo above) had simply been splattered with water sometime in the past 200 years. But a look at the other edges indicates it is an intentional decoration!

To be fair, the book has some damage and has survived an encounter with mold. (You can see a line left when the book became wet and eventually dried.) We assume the original decoration was more striking before the book was ravaged by time, use, and moisture, but what remains is beautiful and interesting all the same.

Schnurrer, Christian Friedrich. Erläuterungen der Würtembergischen Kirchen-Reformations- und Gelehrten-Geschichte. Tübingen: In der J.G. Cotta'schen Buchhandlung, 1798.

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Researching and Preserving Your Congregation's History

Attending UUA General Assembly? RSVP at our virtual booth to join us for our discussion on Thursday, June 20th, at 12pm EST.

We hope to see you there!

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Enjoy a Friday afternoon peek into our special collections stacks. Have a great weekend, all!