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The Stuart and Mimi Rose Collection /

Thomas More

Item 7B

Utopia

1516
First Issue
Possible Former Owner: Ferdinand Columbus
Annotations

Thomas More’s take on an ideal society proved to be a satire on the life and government of 16th century England. This copy contains early annotations in several hands, one of which may be Ferdinand Columbus, one of Thomas More’s library assistants. Ferdinand, son of Christopher Columbus, sailed on his father’s fourth voyage in 1502. Ferdinand was a book collector from an early age. At the time of his death, his library was the largest private collection in Europe.

An intricate, monochromatic map illustration titled
An antique page with a printed coat of arms depicting two lions flanking a shield. The shield features a circular design with a cross of three horizontal bars and a six pointed star and the letters
Close-up image of an old manuscript with Latin text. The title
A close-up image of an old manuscript or book page with Latin text. The text is printed in a serif typeface and is slightly worn with age. To the left of the text, there is an illustration of a hand pointing to a specific line. The hand is drawn in brown ink with a simple, sketch-like style.

What will you discover next?

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

Another imaginary land from a famous work of fantasy?

Go To Item 10B

The Columbus Letter
Detail from historic illustration titled

Another item related to the Columbus family?

Go To Item 2A

Return to Rose Collection
A vibrant, symmetrical collage features historical black-and-white photographs of three individuals encircled with colorful floral patterns. The background is filled with intricate designs of butterflies and geometric shapes in shades of teal, coral, and beige.

Return to the Rose Collection

Visit the Folger to see this object on exhibit

Imprints in Time

Imprints in Time

This special exhibition at the Folger features rare books from the collection of Stuart and Mimi Rose that present literary, cultural, and historical high points.
Through Sun, Jan 5, 2025
Plan your visit
Rose Exhibition Hall