20,000 Rare Books from General Theological Seminary Library Acquired by James Cummins Bookseller

The General Theological Seminary of The Episcopal Church (GTS) in New York has announced its plans for the future of its Keller Library.

The rare book collections of the General Theological Seminary trace their origins to the earliest benefactors of the seminary founded in 1817, including John Pintard, one of the founders of the New-York Historical Society and a noted bibliophile of the 1820s.

As part of its recent agreement to lease the Close to Vanderbilt University, the seminary will retain a portion of the library containing around 10,000 open stacks books to be used by students during their intensive weeks. Outside of the intensive weeks, students have access to library resources through Virginia Theological Seminary’s Bishop Payne Library, including 190,000 print volumes.

The majority of the open stacks books not being retained in the Keller Library for students to use during intensive weeks have been given to Better World Books which focuses on providing books to underserved communities. A collection of Judaica has been donated to the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City, and conversations are underway with other appropriate repositories for some of the other archival materials.

The remaining rare books that were not transferred to VTS have been bought by James Cummins Bookseller, totalling around 20,000 volumes. The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, President of The General Theological Seminary, said: “GTS knows that James Cummins Bookseller can ensure that these books find institutions and buyers that can enable scholarly access. We are pleased to work with such a distinguished firm.”

In the coming months James Cummins Bookseller will catalogue and offer for sale nearly a linear mile of books from the library. This includes hundreds of Latin Bibles from the 15th and 16th century, as well as Bibles in English, French, German, Polish, Arabic, and other languages. Other significant works include early editions of legal and literary works, classical authors, Books of Common Prayer, and theological works in the Anglican and Episcopal traditions. Many of the early books are the only copies in North America. The catalogues will also include notable works in fields as diverse as African American history, science, philosophy, and travel.

James Cummins Bookseller has experience in dealing in theological material. In 2011, it bought the rare book library of the Washington National Cathedral. “it is a privilege to bring this storied collection to the market as these books reflect centuries of devotion and scholarship," said James Cummins. "We will ensure that collectors and institutions can continue learning from them.”

Many of the books from the General Theological Seminary Library will be displayed and offered for sale at the New York Antiquarian Book Fair in April 2025, or by appointment in the Madison Avenue shop before then. 

Previously a total of 7,500 rare books and 13 archival collections were moved from the Keller Library to the Bishop Payne Library in the spring of 2024 to increase access for scholars. These items included the Canon J. Robert Wright Estate Book of Common Prayer Collection, the Early English Theology Collection, some incunables, Anglicana, pamphlets, and early printed Bibles, as well as selected historic archival collections, including the Samuel Seabury Papers. Several hundred additional rare books were moved to the Bishop Payne Library in December 2024, including a collection of Books of Common Prayer in a variety of languages, as well as additional archival holdings some of which are being maintained in off-site storage.

“Please be reassured that a significant proportion of the rare book collection, and the majority of the archival material, has been retained, and remains the property of GTS," said The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham. "Their placement in the Bishop Payne Library will ensure that they remain accessible to scholars for generations to come.”