images © Willshaw Hughes, 2019
Established in 1810 the Swedenborg Society has within its care one of the largest collections of primary artefacts, books, manuscripts, original documents and other historical items relating to the life, work and influence of Emanuel Swedenborg in the world.
Notable artefacts from the life of Swedenborg include signed documents by Swedenborg; Swedenborg’s walking stick; Swedenborg’s mahogany table; fragments of Swedenborg’s hair; letters and fragments in Swedenborg’s hand.
Other historical items include original prints by William Blake; first edition volumes of Swedenborg annotated or inscribed by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, John Flaxman, and T E Lawrence; a portrait of Swedenborg by Philip James de Loutherbourg; a miniature wax bust by John Flaxman; manuscript pages of D T Suzuki’s translation of Swedenborg’s Heaven and Hell; and hand written correspondence from Dr J J G Wilkinson to R W Emerson, D G Rosetti and John Ruskin.
The Society has also recently acquired works by Turner prize winning artist Jeremy Deller, and limited edition prints by Bridget Smith in conjunction with Fiona Banner, Gavin Turk, Michael Landy, Cornelia Parker and others.
VIEWING THE COLLECTION
All of these items are catalogued on the Society’s online digital database and are available to view for researchers and academics upon request. Many other items are on permanent public display at Swedenborg House whilst other items are included in specially curated exhibitions. For the Society’s exhibition programme see EVENTS. Access to the collection and our displays is free to all members of the Society. The Society is open to the public five days a week, between 9.30am to 5.00pm, Monday to Friday.
SPECIALIST TOPICS
Specialist topics include: nineteenth century social reform movements; nineteenth century English and French literature; eighteenth-century abolitionism; nineteenth and twentieth century religious dissenters; and New Church history in the UK and worldwide.
