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The Stuart and Mimi Rose Collection

A vibrant, kaleidoscopic illustration featuring various historical figures, authors, and motifs. Central elements include intricate patterns, butterflies, florals, and symmetrical designs in bold colors like teal, orange-red, and beige. The figures are arranged within ornate frames.

Imprints in Time

From the underworld of Ancient Egypt to the surface of the Moon, Stuart and Mimi Rose’s collection of books and manuscripts offers a journey across human history, knowledge, and creativity. Gathered here are first editions, signed and dedicated copies, highlights of literature and thought, all of them in a remarkable state of preservation. There are discoveries in every direction.

You can explore on your own, or you can create your own collection from among these books by following the suggestions on each label. A collection is built one choice at a time.

This map represents the arrangement of the cases in the exhibition.

Scroll down to visit the contents of each exhibition case or click on a case number from menu above to begin your journey through time. If you would like to visit this exhibition in person,  learn more here.

What discoveries will you make? Where will you start your path through the centuries, and where will it lead you?

A floor plan shows a room with 16 numbered boxes arranged in a spiral pattern, starting from the bottom right and ending near the center. The walls outline the room with positioned boxes, numbered sequentially from 1 to 16. Red dashed lines connect the boxes in sequential order.

Case 1

Egyptian Book of the Dead
A detailed depiction of Anubis, the Egyptian god associated with mummification and the afterlife. The image shows a figure with a black jackal's head and a human body, painted on aged papyrus.

Egyptian Book of the Dead

1A

Case 2

The Columbus Letter
Detail from historic illustration titled

The Columbus Letter

2A

Jonathan Swift Gulliver's Travels
A detailed black and white engraving depicts Captain Lemuel Gulliver. He has long, wavy hair and wears a high-collared shirt with a robe draped over one shoulder.

Jonathan Swift

Gulliver’s Travels
2B

Andreas Vesalius Fabrica
Detail from an anatomical illustration from an old medical book shows a human figure stripped of skin, exposing muscles and tendons. The figure is in a dynamic pose with one arm raised and the other bent.

Andreas Vesalius

Fabrica
2C

Case 3

William Harvey De Motu Cordis
An open vintage medical book displays illustrations of forearms gripping sticks, showcasing veins and arteries with illustrations of hands. There are also annotations. The paper is faded, aged, and sepia-toned paper.

William Harvey

De Motu Cordis
3A

Charles Darwin On the Origin of the Species
An open book displaying an inscription in a neat, cursive handwriting that says:

Charles Darwin

On the Origin of Species
3B

Voltaire Candide
Detail from the title page of Voltaire's Candide focusing on a decorative floral emblem is centered beneath the title.

Voltaire

Candide
3C

James Joyce Ulysses
A close-up of the text describing a limited edition copy, noting 1000 copies: 100 copies (signed) on Dutch handmade paper numbered 1 to 100; 150 copies on Vergé D'Arches numbered from 101 to 250; 750 copies on handmade paper, numbered 251 to 1000. Below the text is a hand-written number

James Joyce

Ulysses
3D

Apollo 11 Flight Plan
A detailed, typed chart titled

Apollo 11

Flight Plan Flown to the Moon
3E

Case 4

Daniel Defoe Robinson Crusoe
Detail from

Daniel Defoe

Robinson Crusoe
4A

L. Frank Baum The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Detail from an illustration of a girl with long, braided hair gazing at a sunset over a field.

L. Frank Baum

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
4B

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle The Valley of Fear
A close-up photograph of an old, yellowed handwritten manuscript. The text is in cursive and appears in dark ink, with a few words or sentences highlighted or underlined including

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

Manuscript of The Valley of Fear
4C

Johannes Kepler Astronomia Nova
Detail from a diagram illustrating the Copernican, Ptolemaic, and Tychonic models of the solar system focusing on the Copernican model. The labels

Johannes Kepler

Astronomia Nova
4D

Case 5

Isidore of Seville Etymologiae
An old, open book showing a page with text in Latin. The text is in brown ink and includes large, ornate initials in red and blue. The letter

Isidore of Seville

Etymologiae
5A

Beatrix Potter Peter Rabbit
A simple black-and-white line drawing of four bunnies is centered on an off-white, aged book page. The bunnies are closely nestled together, each drawn with minimal, fluid lines, giving them an endearing, calm appearance. The page shows slight wear, indicative of an old book.

Beatrix Potter

Peter Rabbit
5B

John Locke Essay on Human Understanding
Detail from the title page displaying

John Locke

Essay Concerning Human Understanding
5C

Case 6

Thomas Jefferson Notes on the State of Virginia
An open antique book with aged, yellowed pages. The left page has a handwritten note that reads,

Thomas Jefferson

Notes on the State of Virginia
6A

Phillis Wheatley Poems
Detail from a sepia-toned etching depicting an African American woman named Phillis Wheatley, dressed in 18th-century attire. She is seated at a desk, pen in hand, with an open book and inkwell nearby.

Phillis Wheatley

Poems
6B

Charles Dickens A Tale of Two Cities
The image shows the title page of

Charles Dickens

A Tale of Two Cities
6C

Tibetan Buddhist Scroll
A richly detailed monochrome illustration on aged parchment depicts a central, seated Buddha surrounded by numerous disciples and ornate cloud motifs. The image features intricate line work and varied postures of the figures, giving a sense of reverence and spirituality.

Tibetan Buddhist Block Printed Scroll

6D

Isaac Newton Principia
A page from an antique book displays text in Latin and a geometric diagram. The diagram features a circle with multiple intersecting lines, labeled with letters (e.g., A, B, C, D, E, F) indicating specific points. Detailed mathematical notations and annotations surround the diagram.

Isaac Newton

Principia
6E

Case 7

John F. Kennedy Profiles in Courage
Close-up image of a manuscript with slightly worn yellowed pages. The lying flat on a light-colored surface with a prominent fold bending the pages, and the visible pages feature printed text in English. Handwritten annotations are present in pencil on one of the margins, and frayed edges are noticeable on the pages.

John F. Kennedy

Profiles in Courage
7A

Thomas More Utopia
An intricate, monochromatic map illustration titled

Thomas More

Utopia
7B

Emily Brontë Wuthering Heights
An open book showing the first page of

Emily Brontë

Wuthering Heights
7C

Ian Fleming Dr. No
A worn, yellow-green book cover adorned with a repeating pattern of circular watermark-like emblems.

Ian Fleming

Dr. No
7D

Case 8

Martin Luther King Jr. I Have a Dream Speech
A close-up photograph of an old, yellowed document with the focus on the printed words

Martin Luther King Jr.

Advance Press Copy
“I Have a Dream” Speech

Case 9

Jules Verne Journey to the Center of the Earth
Detail from an old manuscript titled

Jules Verne

Manuscript of Journey to the Center of the Earth
9A

Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice
A detail from the title page of

Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice
9B

Case 10

The Works of Confucius
A rectangular piece of antique embroidery features a long-necked bird with colorful wings and intricate plumage. The bird is leaning down toward a large pink flower, surrounded by green and brown foliage, all set on a beige background with a brown, textured border.

The Works of Confucius

10A

J. R. R. Tolkien The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
A detailed map titled

J. R. R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
10B

Medieval Illustrated Missal
Detail from an illuminated manuscript letter

Medieval Illuminated Missal

10C

William Caxton Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye
Detail from a page of old manuscript written in English with light brown ink. The text is in a Gothic script and densely covers the entire page. A large red decorative capital

William Caxton

Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye
10D

Case 11

Galileo Galilei Dialogo
An intricate brown and beige toned etching features three men in historical attire. The man on the left, bald with a beard, gestures toward the others. The central figure wears a turban. The rightmost man, donned in fur-trimmed clothing and a hat, looks on.

Galileo Galilei

Dialogo
11A

An Early Printed Haggadah
A close-up photo of an old manuscript written in a Semitic script, likely Hebrew or Aramaic. The text is densely packed with dark ink on aged paper, showing signs of wear and slight discoloration. One line of text is in bold, standing out from the rest. The background is slightly blurred.

An Early Printed Haggadah

11B

Case 12

Kenneth Grahame The Wind in the Willows
Detail from a dark green hardcover edition of

Kenneth Grahame

The Wind in the Willows
12A

Frederick Douglass Narrative
Sepia-toned historical illustration of Frederick Douglass in a book. He is depicted in a suit with a bow tie, seated, looking forward. The page is aged and discolored, with visible spots. The name

Frederick Douglass

Narrative
12B

J. D. Salinger The Catcher in the Rye
An open book with handwritten text on the right page. The text, dated 18 July '51, expresses gratitude for the reader's friendship and support. The paper shows signs of age with a brownish tinge and slightly worn edges. The left page is blank and part of the book's binding is visible.

J. D. Salinger

The Catcher in the Rye
12C

A. A. Milne Winnie-the-Pooh
Detail from a hand-drawn map of the

A. A. Milne

Winnie-the-Pooh
12D

The Quran
Close-up of a detailed, ornate design featuring blue, red, and green floral motifs on a gold border. The intricate artwork has an opulent, antique appearance.

The Qur’an

12E

Case 13

Theodor De Bry Great Voyages
A vintage map illustration depicts a mythical sea creature, resembling a combination of a fish and a serpent, with scales, fins, and a coiled tail. The creature has horns on its head and is shown swimming in wavy waters. The text

Theodor De Bry

Great Voyages
13A

F. Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby
An open book featuring a handwritten note in black ink on the right-hand page. The note begins with:

F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby
13B

Nicolaus Copernicus De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium
A sepia-toned illustration from Nicolaus Copernicus' 1543 book

Nicolaus Copernicus

De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium
13C

Mark Twain Huckleberry Finn
A sepia-toned page featuring a profile view of a bust of Mark Twain by Karl Gerhardt.

Mark Twain

Huckleberry Finn
13D

The Nuremberg Chronicle
A detailed, close-up view of a vintage illustration featuring a radiant sun with a human-like face, smiling and gazing towards a human face etched with expressive lines. The image is colored in warm shades of yellow and brown, with intricate linework depicting the sun's rays and the person's facial features.

The Nuremberg Chronicle

13E

Case 14

Nathaniel Hawthorne The Scarlet Letter
A close-up image of an aged, worn book page titled

Nathaniel Hawthorne

The Scarlet Letter
14A

Miguel de Cervantes Don Quixote
The image shows an old, yellowed page from a Spanish book titled

Miguel de Cervantes

Don Quixote
14B

Giovanni Boccaccio The Decameron
Detail from an old manuscript page shows medieval Latin text in black ink. An ornate, large blue

Giovanni Boccaccio

The Decameron
14C

John Speed Atlas of Great Britain
An open antique book displaying a detailed, colored map of Northampton Shire, England. The map includes two smaller town maps in the upper corners, a compass rose, and intricate calligraphy. Decorative elements like coats of arms and ornate borders surround the map on both pages.

John Speed

Atlas of Great Britain
14D

Case 15

John Stuart Mill On Liberty
Detail of text written in a serif font on yellowed paper, with the words

John Stuart Mill

On Liberty
15A

English Gothic Bible
Detail from a medieval manuscript page featuring Latin text bordered by ornate decorations. The focus is on one of three roundels depicting intricate, hand-painted religious figures and scenes on a blue and gold backdrop. The illumination is detailed with gold leaf accents.

English Gothic Bible

15B

The Chivalric Romance Theurdank Die Geuerlicheiten Einsteils
Medieval illustration featuring a knight in golden armor on a horse, with another knight in dark armor beside him. Both knights hold swords. A castle sits atop a hill in the background, surrounded by green fields and trees.

The Chivalric Romance

Theurdank Die Geuerlicheiten Einsteils
15C

Case 16

Bible Printed by Fust and Shoeffer
Close-up of an ancient manuscript page featuring text written in Latin. The script is in black ink with significant portions of red ink used for emphasis and decorative initial letters. The paper appears aged with a yellowish hue, adding to the historic feel of the document.

Bible Printed by Fust and Shoeffer

16A

Exhibition Medallions

The walls of the gallery present medallions featuring several authors whose work is on display in the exhibition. You can view them here.