The Riesenfeld Center's current exhibit, "Jewels of the Collection: Treasures of the Riesenfeld
Rare Books Research Center," showcases the depth of the Law Library's special collections. The
Arthur C. Pulling Rare Books Collection, housed in the Riesenfeld Rare Books Research Center, comprises more than 35,000 volumes printed across six continents between the
fifteenth century and today. The current exhibit features selected treasures from the Pulling Collection, as well as the Law
School archives, and the Library's signature Clarence Darrow Collection, which contains more than 1,000 letters to and from the great American defense attorney.
The exhibit has recently been expanded, adding in particular items from the Center's American
Indian Law Collection and Hermann Kantorowicz Collection. The exhibit highlights early and rare treaties, laws, and foundational cases from the American Indian collection, as well as modern manuscripts and an annotated personal copy of an influential work on jurisprudence by the German jurist Hermann Kantorowicz, whose library is held in the Riesenfeld Center's collections.
Some
of the treasures in the current exhibit have been selected for inclusions as important contributions to law and
history, or as landmark “firsts” of legal literature. Others are notable
for their associations with famous authors and owners, or because they
stand as unique artifacts and works of art. Section introductions and
descriptions in the exhibit place the works in their historical contexts and indicate
their enduring value. The items reflect a historical legal legacy that
is both national and global in its scope. We invite visitors to browse the exhibit and learn more about the richness of the Law Library’s collections.
The
exhibit, "Jewels of the Collection: Treasures of the Riesenfeld Rare
Books Research Center," was curated by Ryan Greenwood and Joy Brown.
For more information about the exhibit or to schedule a tour, please contact Ryan Greenwood (rgreenwo@umn.edu; 612-625-7323).
