When it was granted by King John in 1215, Magna Carta was a practical solution to a political crisis. In the centuries since, it has become a potent symbol of liberty and the rule of law. This catalogue accompanies a once-in-a-lifetime exhibition at the British Library commemorating the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta. It takes us on a journey from the charter's medieval origins through to what it means to people around the world today. Drawing on the rich historical collections of the British Library - including two original copies of Magna Carta from 1215 - the catalogue brings to life the history and contemporary resonance of this globally important document. It features treasured artefacts inspired by the rich legacy of Magna Carta, including Thomas Jefferson's handwritten draft of the Declaration of Independence and an original copy of the Bill of Rights.

When Julian Harrison Toulouse's Fruit Jars was published in 1969, it was called "remarkable," "scholarly," "encyclopedic," and the "definitive book on fruit jars and seals." Newly reprinted in 2005, it is available for a new generation of bottle collectors. Fruit Jars details the types of containers used for canning fruit, lists jars alphabetically with markings found on the jars and denotes embossing, color, shape, closure and base markings. It also includes a listing of fruit jar manufacturers as well as a chronological listing of dated jars, line drawings, and makers' marks.

Dr. Toulouse, in this reprinted classic work, brought the finitely evolved world of the bottle makers into sharper focus. Collectors are not only able to date their bottles, but they may learn the often fascinating histories of the glass companies that produced them. Bottle collectors knew the author as an astute researcher; in this work he gathered over 900 older marks and more than 300 modern marks, handlettered for the most part, to better convey the actual markings on the bottle. The markings are organized into a dictionary-like format, with extensive cross-references, to facilitate quick identification of collectors' bottles by their marks. Dates, company histories, and human interest vignettes included in the listings combine to make bottles much more rewarding to possess and collect. There is also a section on foreign marks to make this guide as complete as possible. "Often considered the "bible" for manufacturer's marks, this epic work is astounding in its breadth. By his own count, Toulouse offered information on more than 1,200 different marks found on glass bottles and jars. The book is filled with information that could only have come from a factory "insider." Toulouse, in fact, spent his career in the glass manufacturing industry before he wrote his two books on marks for collectors." Society for Historical Archaeology Newsletter