The Maurice de Coppet Collection
Ambassador Maurice de Coppet (1868-1930) was the French ambassador to Finland in the 1920s. As an expression of his admiration for Finland he donated the greater part of his valuable private library to the Helsinki University Library (since August 2006, The National Library of Finland). A consignment of 7,000 books came to Finland in 1948, and after Madame Yseult de Coppet's death in 1978 the University Library received another 2,000 volumes which had belonged to ambassador Coppet.
The collection consists of fine collections of French fiction, books on the history of literature and books on history. Part of the French literature are fine bibliophilic editions. The Coppet Collection also has much literature related to the First World, a collection of large war posters and literature on Abyssinia (Ethiopia). Coppet was the ambassador to Abyssinia before he came to Finland.
Most of the books that were donated in 1948 are placed in this special collection and have an ex libris designed by the Finnish artist Jukka Pellinen. Their signum (call number) in the catalogue is "Coppet". A small number of books were placed in the General Collection, and some duplicates have been donated to other libraries. The 2,000 books that came in 1978 are not catalogued and are located in the deposit library in Urajärvi.
The university library has also a collection of the private papers of ambassador Coppet (3 meters of shelf), which is in the Manuscript Collection. Among the papers are many photographs taken in North Africa.
The material is used in the Special Reading Room in Fabiania.
Catalogues
- 1948: The books are catalogued in the database HELKA.
- 1978: The books are not catalogued.
- The private papers are registered in the list of archives nr 351, placed in the Special Reading Room.
Literature
- Granroth, Leena, Maurice de Coppet´n kirjakokoelma Helsingin yliopiston kirjastossa. - Bibliophilos 1954, s. 9-14
- Kunnas. Tarmo, Maurice de Coppet´n kokoelma. - Muistiin painettua. Kansalliskirjaston kulttuuriaarteita. Helsinki 2004, s. 175-178. - Helsingin yliopiston kirjaston julkaisuja; 74.
- Pettil, Leena, Coppet´n kokoelma. - Helsingin yliopiston kirjaston tiedotuslehti 1979:4, s. 101-102.
Information:
kk-erik(at)helsinki.fi
sirkka.havu(at)helsinki.fi
