the book collector
the British Museum’s ‘Hadrian’ exhibition in 2008 and its inspired use of the museum’s Round Reading Room to evoke his architec- tural masterpiece the Pantheon, to which it is often compared. This became an opportunity to be playful with the space, using large graphic panels in shades of marine blue and other accoutrements of travel such as a postcard spinner, a wooden signpost created for the occasion by the college’s Buildings department, and the loan of vintage suitcases by the Provost of Eton. When the exhibition opened in 2018 I was surprised (though per- haps I shouldn’t have been!) at the warm feedback especially from the book trade, until I realised that perhaps my own joy in being let loose among such wonderful treasures to assemble my own virtual collection of books and other objects on a subject which has had such an impact on my life, was calling forth the response of those who made their way to Eton to see the exhibition. It also reminded me how very lucky I am to work in an area where I can combine the joy of collecting and love of books. The special exhibition Voyages: a journey in books , was on display at Eton College Library earlier this year and will be itself travelling to London in the new year, where it can be viewed at Bonhams Knightsbridge from 7th to 18th January 2019.
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