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Rosenbach Museum and Library
The Rosenbach Museum and Library
is actually located in two houses, side by side, both from the 19th
century and townhouses, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. These
marvelous houses contain the collections and artifacts of Philip
Rosenbach and younger brother, Dr. A. S. W. Rosenbach. The two
brothers were the owners of the Rosenbach Company that became the
main dealer of rare books, decorative arts and manuscripts in the
first half of the 20th century. Dr. Rosenbach was the main person to
see about rare books, helping to build libraries like the
Huntington, the Widener at Harvard and the Folger Shakespeare
Library. The museum is like a panorama of European and American
culture through its treasures of history, literature and art. In
April, 2008, the museum and library would receive the official state
historical marker from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum
Commission that recognized the long term contributions of the
museum's co-founder, Dr. A. S. W. Rosenbach. They commended his
legacy as one of the nation's best rare book dealers and his
continued contributions to the city and world, by marking his house,
or both houses, 2008-2010 Delancy Place in the city's historic
Rittenhouse Square neighborhood. The majority of the houses are
filled with spectacular furniture and decorative arts that were
acquired by the brothers while they lived in them. The furniture is
mostly 18th century English with many marvelous examples of
Sheraton, Hepplewhite, Chippendale, Vile and Adam. Another
magnificent piece is the olivewood box with bronze dore mounts that
was created for Charles II, a major Philadelphia highboy and an
American recamier sofa with carving that was fashioned by Samuel
McIntire. There is a beautiful collection of English silver and gold
that dates to the 17th and mid 18th centuries that has wonderful
masterpieces by Hester Bateman, Paul Storr and numerous items that
were created for the British royal family. There is more than a
thousand portrait miniatures in one collection that has Nicolas
Hilliard miniature of James I, as well as the only known portrait of
Cervantes when he was young and a very famous self-portrait of Major
Andre that was made just before he was executed. There are fantastic
collections of 18th century porcelain, drawings, sculpture,
paintings and glass. In 1993, the foundation was able to buy the
house next door, 2008 Delancy Place, and has given the museum ample
room to expand their facilities and display area. The
Americana collection of rare books and manuscripts is one of the
most important, incredible, unimaginable treasures of this nation,
and starts with the accounts of early voyages and stories of
exploration, that includes a copy of Antonio Pigafetta's account of
Ferdinand Magellan's circumnavigation of the planet and rare tracts
that pertain to the settling of Virginia. It is splendid that the
books are corroborated and complemented by manuscript material, just
as it is for all the rest of the glorious collection. There are
letters by Cortes, de Soto and Pizarro, that contains the letters of
Cortes from 1532 to the Council of the Indies that asks them for
permission to start an expedition to go and explore the coastline of
California. The colonial settlement period is also seen with early
accounts and prominent religious tracts, especially those that
pertain to the many missions of the Indians, plus a collection of
Indian Captivity Tales. The first three books that were ever
printed in the western hemisphere are here; from Mexico in
1543-1544, Lima from 1584-1585 and the special Bay Palm Book, the
very first book printed in this country, in Cambridge, Massachusetts
in 1661. There are more than 100 letters written by George
Washington about the American Revolution, the original manuscript
resolution of the Continental Congress, and a magnificent collection
of documents signed by those gentlemen of the Declaration of
Independence. There is Commodore Barry's ship papers that outline
the start of the American navy and a wonderful set of Ben Franklin's
Poor Richard's Almanacs that contains the only surviving copy of the
1733 first edition, first print. Oh what a marvelous fantastic
treasure this man has developed and preserved for his countrymen.
The list is exhaustive and expansive, making sure that the only way
to fully appreciate this fabulous collection is to go there to the
museum and library and spend hours? days?, perhaps as much time as
you need to slowly peruse the finest collection of materials written
by Americans in the dawn of our nation.
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