Biblioteca di Economia e Management
Type: Historical collection of early printed works on economic and legal topics
Status: Closed collection
Location: “ANT”
Time span: 1592–1830
Language: Mainly Italian and Latin; includes titles in French, English, Ancient Greek, German, and Spanish
Format: Printed monographs
Access conditions: On-site consultation by authorization, with special precautions due to the condition of the materials; digitization available on demand
Origin: The collection is the result of a historical accumulation of nineteenth-century and earlier holdings, partly from the original collections of the former Faculty of Economics Library and partly from historical donations and acquisitions
Content:
The collection represents a highly valuable historical and specialized assemblage, primarily focused on the period from the second half of the eighteenth century to the first half of the nineteenth century. The texts document the roots of European economic and legal culture, with a significant concentration of works on civil, commercial, and criminal law. The collection also includes historical, linguistic, and technical works, albeit to a lesser extent. The publications mainly originate from European cities such as Paris, Turin, Milan, Venice, and Leipzig, reflecting a broad and transnational cultural scope. A distinctive feature is the strong presence of serial works and large series, such as the Scrittori classici italiani di economia politica and several editions of the works of the French jurist Pothier.
Main thematic areas:
- Law and jurisprudence: Constitutes the core of the collection, with texts on civil law (prescriptions, contracts, property), criminal law, commercial law, and Roman law. Many works reflect legislative changes related to the codification era, particularly referencing the French and Austrian civil codes.
- Political economy: A fundamental component of the collection is the series Scrittori classici italiani di economia politica, including works by prominent authors such as Cesare Beccaria. These volumes address topics such as public finance, grain trade, and currency.
- Political and social sciences: The collection includes works examining the foundations of legislation, raison d’état, and political philosophy. It also contains treatises on social issues and public administration.
- History and local history: Some volumes are devoted to historical studies, such as the Memorie storiche sulla Reale Casa di Savoia, and to works on notable figures and Piedmontese chronicles, providing a specific historical and documentary perspective on the region.
- Linguistics and miscellaneous: The collection also contains dictionaries and vocabularies, reflecting an interest in linguistic tools and cultural exchange.
Documentary and historical value:
The collection constitutes a significant testimony to premodern and nineteenth-century economic and legal culture. It is particularly valuable for reconstructing the evolution of economic institutions, commercial legislation, and economic knowledge prior to Italian industrialization, with a specific focus on the Italian and Franco-Piedmontese context. The volumes, notable for their bibliographic and editorial value, provide an important resource for research in historical, economic, and legal studies.
