The library of Spyridon Loverdos

The Loverdos Library came to the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation in 2023 and is estimated to contain approximately 15,000 items. Originally, the collection was much larger, but parts of it were transferred to other collections over the years. A significant portion of the library consists of early printed books, including important works of ancient Greek literature and travel books. It also features substantial sections on history, the history of books, literature, art, and other areas of Greek and foreign-language literature. Another notable part of the collection includes early Greek editions from the 17th to the 19th centuries. The collection also contains a high-quality copy of Rigas’s Charta and a large number of manuscripts. The distinctive gold ex libris of Spyridon Loverdos, which can be found in most of his books, was designed by the painter Parthenis, with whom the Loverdos brothers had a close relationship.

Spyridon Loverdos (1874-1936) was a Greek banker, economist, and politician. Originally from Kefalonia, he studied law at the University of Athens and pursued a career in economics. In 1918, he founded the General Bank with his brother Dionysios. After its dissolution, he became the chairman of the board of the People’s Bank. He served as Minister of Finance in the government of Panagis Tsaldaris from 1933 until his resignation in November 1934. Both he and his brother Dionysios were art collectors, with Dionysios focusing mainly on Byzantine icons, while Spyridon collected books. The heir of Spyridon Loverdos’s collection was Maria Koutarelli.