This small but distinguished collection attests largely to Bernard Berenson's fascination with the archeology, fine arts, and culture of East and South Asia and of the Islamic regions. It consists mainly of materials owned originally by him, and is now systematically developed only in those areas that relate broadly to Italy and Italian culture and society in the later Middle Ages and Renaissance.
The Asian and Islamic Collection contains some 3,400 books, including a large number of rare, limited and deluxe editions, and over 70 periodical titles, including 30 in complete runs and 17 currently received. Related to these materials but housed separately are over 1,000 auction sale catalogues of Islamic and Oriental art objects, miniatures, and carpets and, in the Photograph Archive, some 8,000 rare photographs of Far Eastern and Indian sculpture and painting, as well as of monuments of Islamic architecture.