The volumes on Napoleonic topics donated by Alberto Lumbroso
Alberto Lumbroso, a scholar of Jewish origins and a bibliophile (1872-1942), made a significant donation to the National Library of Turin after the 1904 fire, offering his entire library. His collection, notable for its focus on the Napoleonic era, comprised 18,962 volumes and 8,962 pamphlets. Currently, 3,885 entries from his collection are catalogued on SBN. Additionally, around ninety booklets were found within the perforated boxes, which arrived at the Library later, accompanied by Lumbroso’s request to catalogue them together with the others already sent.
The generous donation from the Library of the Archiginnasio of Bologna
The Municipal Library of Bologna, established in 1801, preserves the literary heritage of religious congregations dissolved during the Napoleonic and Italian Kingdom periods. Initially housed at the Convent of San Domenico, it was relocated to the Archiginnasio Palace in 1838. There, librarian Luigi Frati organized the materials, allowing for the transfer of duplicate volumes to Turin. Many volumes received in Turin contain cards indicating examination by Frati and bear stamps and possession notes from previous owners. Provenances include the Community Library, suppressed convents in Spoleto and Bologna, and the collections of Antonio Magnani and Francesco Zambeccari. Some volumes also feature possession notes or ex-libris of donors not documented among the provenances of the Archiginnasio, adding to the complexity of interpreting their origins.