Rare Books and Manuscripts

A directory of historical book owners, with information about their libraries, and signposts to further sources. It currently has entries for more than 2,850 British owners from the 16th to the 18th centuries, and is being expanded.

The purpose of the British Armorial Bindings database is to create a comprehensive catalogue of all the coats of arms, crests, and other heraldic devices that have been stamped by British owners on the outer covers of their books, together with the bibliographical sources of the stamps. Sponsored by the Bibliographical Society of London in conjunction with the University of Toronto Library.