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Charles Nelson Spinks was in the Foreign Service in the Asia for many years. He began collecting works of Japanese Art and History as early as the 1930s. He donated this collection to American University in the 1970s. The Charles Nelson Spinks Collection of Japanese Prints, Illustrated Books, and Manuscripts features works created between the 17th through the 20th centuries and includes works of Japanese Ukiyo-e artists Hiroshige and Hokusai as well as examples of Sogoruku board games. A number of the prints, illustrated books, and manuscripts from this rare book collection have been digitized and are available here.