Hunterian Collection

The collection was assembled by the anatomist and physician, William Hunter (1718–83), who was an avid collector of coins, medals, paintings, shells, minerals, books and manuscripts.

[1] Considerable purchases were made in Paris from monastic houses and private libraries, such as those of César de Missy and Jean-Baptiste Colbert.

The library and other collections remained in London after Hunter's death for the use of his nephew, the physician and pathologist, Matthew Baillie (1761–1823), as well as William Cumberland Cruikshank (1745–1800).

[1] Hunter's collection contained about 15,000 specimens and preparations focusing on human anatomy and pathology, and natural history.

[7] George MacDonald estimated, "Its trays contain about 30,000 specimens, of which over 12,000 are Greek and nearly the same number Roman.