Early Printed Books

Stephen Spaulding enrolled at the University in 1924 as an LSA student and athlete on the football and swimming teams. After injuring his leg playing football, he developed bone cancer and died only a year after beginning his studies. In their son’s memory, Colonel Thomas M. Spaulding (1882-1973) and his wife established an endowment and gifted hundreds of books, many on early military history, to the Library. Frederick H. Wagman, who served as the Director of the Library from 1953 to 1982, called Spaulding “the most generous and undemanding patron of our library in its history.”

Spaulding and Wagman decided together in 1969 that Spaulding would purchase this early printed book as the Library’s four millionth volume. Written by Christine de Pisan, who is remembered as the first woman in France to make her living through writing, the book discusses medieval warfare and chivalry. It was translated and printed by William Caxton, who, as the first in England to use a printing press, helped elevate the status of the English language.

From about 150 years later, this rare copy of the Iliad, with the Greek text and a Latin translation, was a gift from a Michigan alum to his former Greek professor. William Wirt Wheeler was Captain of the 6th Michigan Volunteers in the Civil War, and sent the book to Michigan from his camp in Louisiana. He wrote in a letter that he had rescued the book “from the flames of a gentleman’s library” and wanted to give it to Professor James Boise because he and the lieutenant of his company, another young alumnus, frequently reminisced about their time at Michigan and in particular “loved and venerated” Boise. Upon receipt, Boise donated the book and a second received with it to the Library. Click the photo of the book to view the letter Wheeler sent to Boise.