The Old and Rare Books Collection – contains: old books, rare editions and miniatures. The Collection holds 9 (nine) extremely significant manuscript books (mostly ljekaruše – folk medicinal recipes collection). The single most valuable Cyrillic book is the Oточник, dating back from late 14th century.

The collection also holds two Latin incunabula: Noctes Atticae, printed in the typography of Andrija Paltašić from Kotor (Venice, 1477) and Epistolae sancti Hieronymi, also printed in Venice in 1496 (by the printer Jovan Varcelens). These are showcase copies, with prominent typographic features.

There are three 16th century palaeotypes, printed in Venice between 1554 and1561: Служабник (1554), Октоих петогласник (1560) and Триод посни (1561). The above Cyrillic editions were reprinted from the editions of Božidar Vuković from Podgorica by his followers, son Vicenzo and Stefan of Shkodra.

The Collection also holds 68 extremely valuable books in various languages, mostly Latin, from 16th and 17th century. 

The Collection holds 39 monographs (45 copies) from 18th century (in Serbian) and 280 titles (732 copies) in foreign languages. The editions in Latin, French, German and Russian are prevailing.

By far the most numerous section of the Collection contains 19th century Cyrillic books (some 680 titles, or 750 copies).

As for the periodic publications from late 18th and from 19th century, we highlight the Orfelin’s Славено сербскиј магазин, being at the same time the first Serbian magazine, from 1768. The periodic publications also include: Letopis Matice srpske, the oldest living magazine (launched in 1824), Grlica – Montenegrin calendar from Njegos’s printing house (1835-1839), Serbian-Dalmatian magazine (1836-1873), extremely rare, and numerous titles of other magazines and newspapers, old and very rare. 

A valuable part of the Collection is also the rare books, or works not falling under usual printing production: illegal, revolutionary and war editions; Elseviers and bibliophilic editions; books with notes and inscriptions of authors and other renowned personalities; works with rare stamps, rare reprints or facsimiles of old books; editions printed in small runs and miniatures.