The Music Library holds in its Treasure Room a number of items that document or exemplify the history of music printing and publishing. The collection includes books, scores, sound recordings, and even metal publisher’s plates. Examples were selected to illustrate techniques or unique occurrences: page edges that remain uncut, inverted title pages, unusual sound recording formats, printing errors, printers’ marks, publisher dummies, and early sound recording formats. Items date from 1712 to 2006.

This collection, formerly housed together without description, can now be searched online. Every item, now integrated into the Treasure Room collection, contains a note in its catalog record, “Formerly in Music Printing Collection.” A search for this note will call up a list of all titles. This note will also include any explanation of why the item was selected for this collection.

You can browse the collection using the following link. It is searching for the keyword phrase (including the quotation marks) "formerly in music printing collection":

• Catalog: Formerly in Music Printing Collection

Above: Editions of Didon by Niccolo Piccinni

Above: Metallophon audio disc, ca. 1932

Above: Single-sided disc with imprint engraved. Eldorado waltz / Cornet solo by Mr. Thomas Clark.  E. Berliner's Gramophone, 1895. E. Berliner's Gramophone: 3443.