National Art Library book collections
The National Art Library is both a major reference library and the Museum's curatorial department for the art, craft and design of the book. Its holdings fall into two cate…
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Middle Eastern Art and Design today: National Art Library collecting programme
The V&A was the first institution in the world to form a systematic collection of the Islamic arts, including books and catalogues, all of which are held in the National Ar…
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National Art Library Dyce collection
The Revd Alexander Dyce (1798–1869) bequeathed over 14,000 books to the South Kensington Museum (renamed the Victoria & Albert Museum in 1899), along with pictures, prints,…
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National Art Library Forster Collection
John Forster (1812–76) was a noted biographer, critic, essayist and historian who collected a vast library. He bequeathed this collection to his wife and on her death it pa…
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National Art Library children's literature collections
The National Art Library has been collecting children's publications since the mid-19th century. It now holds nearly 100,000 books dating from the 16th century to the prese…
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National Art Library Great Exhibition collection
The National Art Library holds a number of collections relating to the International Exhibitions including documentation on the Great Exhibition of 1851, the Schools of Des…
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National Art Library modern calligraphy collection
An article by Rowan Watson on the modern calligraphy collections in the National Art Library. First published in 'Calligraphy Review', Fall 1987.
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National Art Library collection of armorial bindings
Colonel Henry John Beresford Clements (1869–1940) became the acknowledged expert in the field of bindings displaying armorial and ownership devices. His collection, bequeat…
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National Art Library chapbooks collection
Chapbooks are small cheap publications on popular subjects bought at booksellers or from travelling chapmen. The National Art Library chapbook collection comprises around 8…
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National Art Library trade catalogues collection
The National Art Library holds numerous examples of trade catalogues within its collections. The earliest items in the collection date from the 1760s, when the first true m…
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A gift in your will
You may not have thought of including a gift to a museum in your will, but the V&A is a charity and legacies form an important source of funding for our work. It is not just the great collectors and the wealthy who leave legacies to the V&A. Legacies of all sizes, large and small, make a real difference to what we can do and your support can help ensure that future generations enjoy the V&A as much as you have.
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The Liberty Book of Home Sewing
Despite its long history as a leading textile design house and retailer, Liberty has yet to produce its own inspirational book of home sewing. That is…
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