History of the Book
The History of the Book is an area of study that is concerned not only with books themselves but also with all aspects of their production - from creation, design and dissemination through to reception and preservation by readers and society.
It covers a very broad range of intellectual enquiry that crosses and interlinks with many disciplines.
The books collected by Alfred Chester Beatty generally fall into the category of a collector's or bibliophile's library.
These books are generally ones which are exceptional examples of their type or which have come from previous important libraries.
In general, the books Beatty collected are not the typical products of their period, as many reflect the taste and fashions of wealthy owners.
The collection invariably reflects the personal taste of Alfred Chester Beatty as each book was carefully examined against criteria that he had chosen.
'Quality, quality and quality' was his benchmark, but with the added criteria that the purchase had to be good value for money.
The following topics will be added in the coming months:
- Medieval manuscripts and illumination
- Incunabula
- Typography and design
- Bookbinding and the Making of Books
- Decorated paper and papermaking
- Religious works
- Literature
- Art
- Geography