What’s so fascinating about #bookhistory, you ask?
You have to think like a detective! And sometimes you are rewarded with a great find.
A 🧵about nice findings thanks to
-binding waste
-the @britishlibrary's collection
& a rare book catalogue from the early 20c
#incunabula
You have to think like a detective! And sometimes you are rewarded with a great find.
A 🧵about nice findings thanks to
-binding waste
-the @britishlibrary's collection
& a rare book catalogue from the early 20c
#incunabula
Survival is a tricky issue with publications printed some 500 years ago.
The smaller the books & broadsheets are, the trickier it gets. Mandates, like this one, are often lost completely or only survive in fragments.
This unique fragment was recently on offer in the ...
The smaller the books & broadsheets are, the trickier it gets. Mandates, like this one, are often lost completely or only survive in fragments.
This unique fragment was recently on offer in the ...
antiquarian book trade. It's part of a mandate issued by Maximilian I. in 1499.
Yet, the fragment misses the important part with the issue date.
(Those of you who are familiar with Maximilian’s publications know, that he issued quite a number of such mandates...)
Yet, the fragment misses the important part with the issue date.
(Those of you who are familiar with Maximilian’s publications know, that he issued quite a number of such mandates...)
Fortunately, the text sounded familiar to incunabula detectives Falk Eisermann & Cathrin Fehrmann @sbb_news
They embarked on a quest to find the edition in question.
They not only found it…
They also made the rare “discovery” of some of the missing parts of the very same copy!
They embarked on a quest to find the edition in question.
They not only found it…
They also made the rare “discovery” of some of the missing parts of the very same copy!
The parts were actually hidden in plain sight. The BL has recently uploaded images of two fragments.
Until now the parts have been considered as belonging to a different edition.
access.bl.uk/item/viewer/ar…
Until now the parts have been considered as belonging to a different edition.
access.bl.uk/item/viewer/ar…
And guess what?
The fragments fit perfectly.
This means that the Stabi and BL fragments originally belonged to the very same copy.
An extremely rare find, and an amazing example of “Shared Cultural Heritage”!
The fragments fit perfectly.
This means that the Stabi and BL fragments originally belonged to the very same copy.
An extremely rare find, and an amazing example of “Shared Cultural Heritage”!
Interestingly, it turned out that the EXACT fragment which is now in the Stabi was offered in the antiquarian book trade back in 1925.
Fortunately, the fragment was described on the basis of the bookseller’s catalogue into a bibliography (VE-15 M-129).
It is, without a doubt
Fortunately, the fragment was described on the basis of the bookseller’s catalogue into a bibliography (VE-15 M-129).
It is, without a doubt
... the very same fragment.
It reveals that this particular copy of the broadsheet was most likely used as binding waste in the early modern period. That’s why the whole sheet was divided into four parts.
Then 3 of these parts turned up again: 2 parts ended up in the BL...
It reveals that this particular copy of the broadsheet was most likely used as binding waste in the early modern period. That’s why the whole sheet was divided into four parts.
Then 3 of these parts turned up again: 2 parts ended up in the BL...
another one, now in Berlin, presumably went to a private owner in the 1920s and was lost from sight until now.
Almost 100 yrs later, the fragment turned up again and found its way into the Stabi where researchers can have a proper look at it soon.
You gotta love book history!
Almost 100 yrs later, the fragment turned up again and found its way into the Stabi where researchers can have a proper look at it soon.
You gotta love book history!
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