Book history: Exhibition of bibliophilic editions and archival materials “Russian bibliophiles and their collections” in Moscow

November 16, 2012 at the Russian State Library (Moscow) opened the exhibition of bibliophilic publications and archival materials "Russian bibliophiles and their collections." The exhibition features the books of famous collections held by the RSL: of N. P. Rumyantsev, the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, Count A. S. Norov, P. Ya. Chaadaev, etc. The exposition presents not only publications, but also the personalities of the owners.

One of the sections is devoted to Nikolai Rubakin, whose 150th birthday anniversary is celebrated this year. In addition to books, collected by the famous bibliographer, there are archival documents: notebooks, Rubakins’ pedigree, the file on obtaining of a personal pension from the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR, drawings by Nikolai Alexandrovich and his portraits.

Through this exhibition, you can learn the history of collections and the way they got to the first public library in Moscow. For example, a collection of books and manuscripts of Count Nikolai Rumyantsev was part of the famous Rumyantsev Muzeum, which in 1861, moved from St. Petersburg to Moscow. Luxuriously furnished, the books of Alexandra Feodorovna were donated to the museum by her sons in 1862.