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Sigfus Blondal

Iceland and its literature.

Icelandic studies are well represented in Edinburgh, particularly in this collection of some 3,000 books, pamphlets and journals. It was purchased by the Library from the Icelandic scholar Sigfus Blöndal in 1950.

In the same year the Icelandic Government presented about 250 items on Icelandic topics. They are shelved beside the Blöndal Collection (shelfmark LL.108). The combined collection is strong on Iceland’s literature and the sagas, its history, topography and natural history, both printed in Iceland and elsewhere. The material is mainly 19th century with some 18th century material.

The books are all listed in the pre-1985 typescript catalogue and there are online records for many of them. All have shelfmarks in the range LL.100.5.3 - LL.108.7.65. The Centre for Research Collections maintains listings of other Nordic material in the library, including the correspondence of Grímur Thorkelin in the David Laing collection. We continue to make occasional purchases in this area.