History of the collection

The initial core of the Royal Library, comprising the books from the library of Felipe IV, preserved in the Torre Alta del Real alcázar de Madrid, near the Felipe V brought from france and the ready partisans of Archduke of Austria in war of Succession (including collections weapon as duque de Uceda or marqués de Mondéjar), already had some of the fundamental parts of the collection, which would increase with major acquisitions in the 18th century and, above all, in the 19th century. In the second half of the nineteenth century, created the sections of “ miscellaneous ” and “ Precious and Rare Books ”. This undoubtedly influenced the publication in 1863 and 1866 of posthumous of Bartolomé José Gallardo, testing of a library of rare books and curious, as well as the need to give their own entity some materials that had increased significantly in recent years and that has had an old room distinct Copy of the Department of which they depended.

It is during the nineteenth century when the most significant increase from the collections of literature rare due to the incorporation of the libraries of the convents deleted by the confiscation of Mendizábal and procurement of particular libraries, which fed directly into the national library by purchase or legacies, or are received from other ministries that had previously deposited. Some of which are the point of Juan Nicolás Böhl of Faber (learned in 1849), Juan Carlos Mejía (mexican library purchased in 1864), Pedro Expensive and Sureda, marqués de la Romana (incorporated into the national library in 1873 from the library of the Ministry of development), Serafín Estébanez Calderón (library of more than 8,000 printed materials, including military items, chronicles, poetry castellana and literature in general and that, although purchased from his death in 1867, remained in the library of the Ministry of development until its entry into the national library in 1873), Manuela of Negrete and Cepeda, field condesa Alange (of this library purchased their heirs in 1884 were selected for the national library those works of which It would have required), duke of Osuna e Infantado (learned in 1884, and with which they entered over 30,000 print), and that of Ricardo de Heredia, conde de Benahavis (in the auction of this library held in paris in 1891 and 1894, the national library purchased works of particular oddity that had previously belonged to other important libraries as formed by Vicente Salvá and continued by his son Tomás Salvá). Other important collections in the nineteenth century were given by Luis Usoz and rio, Francisco Asenjo Barbieri and Pascual of Gayangos.

Together with large collections of theatre, literature, cervantina minors, in law and, with symbol Usoz own we can highlight the following printed funds between the old BNE:

Barbieri

Composed cu2o books for the history of spanish music, and for the solicitation documents collected by the carols musician, researcher and bibliófilo Francisco Asenjo Barbieri. Were integrated into symbols R and see when your library, ceded by testamentary legacy in 1894, joined the National library of Spain in 1899.

Convents

Under this term refers to the works from the 24 convents libraries were incorporated into the national library of Spain as a result of the civil war. The large volume of work, mostly from religious issues were included in the symbol R copies of spanish editions of the 16th century and those belonging to later centuries editions that were considered particularly rare. Identifies in most cases by the seals and handwritten annotations with the name of the convent of origin.

Gayangos

In symbols R, go and VC can be identified by a rectangular stamp in red ink with the name “ Pascual of Gayangos ” forms which belonged to this distinguished researcher, orientalist bibliófilo bibliographer, and of the 19th century. the part of his or her library that had not been sold or donated in life (Arab books to the royal academy of history and theme Museo-Biblioteca american overseas territories) had been procured in 1900. Consists of more than 22,000 printed, some of particular oddity of the 16th and 17th centuries.

Gómez Imaz

Manuel Gómez Imaz, scholar of the war of independence, came meet on this item an important collection of literature, manuscripts, periodicals and various objects (coins, tables, arms, uniforms, planes, glass, porcelain, etc.) which was sold at auction in may 1997 by the house Sakia-Sotheby ’ s in Madrid. This collection of the national library acquired some manuscripts, but above all books, brochures and journals of particular oddity provided the basis for the conduct of its work The newspapers in the war of independence (1808-1814), who won the award in the Bibliographical convened by the National Library in 1908. The more than 3,000 volumes and brochures are preserved in the symbol of R.

Graiño

Antonio Graiño met an important collection of books filipinos who was acquired through inheritance in 1959. Integrated into the symbol R, the collection's ex-libris and constitute a set of exceptional courage not only by how some of their parts, Unique and unknown by bibliógrafos, but for the conservation of these works due to the support used for printing. More than one third of these copies are written in indigenous languages (tagalog, pangasinan, cebuano, bisaya, etc.) and printed by the main filipino printers: Thomas Pimpin and his son Simon.

Latin america

Print related to Latin America and from overseas Library that when they reach the symbol R and See.

Chinese books

There is almost a hundred works of the centuries XVI-XIX printed on chinese characters, the role of rice and binding of thread. Retained in the general deposit until 1961 moved to the symbol R (R/33376-33472).

Rich and Sinobas

Unique collection of tapas in encuadernaciones gathered by Manuel rich and Sinobas, which is incorporated into the national library after their acquisition in 1901. Throughout its more than a thousand pieces shows an overview of the history of the binding since the 14Th to 19th century.