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SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
Ancient and Medieval Manuscripts Literary Collections, 19th-20th Century 
Renaissance and Early Modern Imprints History of Science
Eighteenth-Century Collections History of American Education
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Printer's Mark

    This is the device of Joannes de Colonia, used in his edition of Franciscus de Zabarellis' Lectura super Clementinas, Venice, Jan. 28, 1481. It has long been associated with the Spencer Research Library's Department of Special Collections.

    It is particularly apt because it symbolizes many of the department's collecting interests. The cross and orb symbolize political and religious history. The T-O map appearing in the world-globe (the orb) stands for our interest in geography and cartography. The device itself is a merchant's mark of sorts, standing for the strength in economic history which pervades our collections, and as specifically a printer's mark represents the history of the book and printing. That it was first used in a commentary on the Clementines goes well with our interest in legal history. The only major collecting areas which it cannot be made to represent are literature and natural history.