W(h)ither PhiloBiblos

Apologies for the long silence, all. I had hoped that the decks would be cleared by now and that I would be able to get back to regularly paced weekly posts, but I have to admit that having a couple months without taking roughly half of a weekend day to get these written has proven something of a welcome relief. I hadn't realized just how much time it would free up for other projects that I have been unable to get finished, and which I would like to continue to spend time on. So, sixteen years(!) to the week after starting this blog, I'm going to put it on a bit of a pause, as least as far as the regular weekly update posts go. I will continue to post, as time and energies permit, about all things bookish, and look forward to seeing you all out there in the bibliosphere soon.

Brief Break

I will be taking a brief break from weekly news posts while I finish up some projects. Don't worry, I'll be back after a bit!

Links & Auctions

- The big news this week is the surprise return of two Charles Darwin notebooks that had been reported stolen from the Cambridge University Library. Coverage from the BBC, the Guardian, and a well-illustrated piece from the university library.

- Dartmouth College will repatriate the papers of Samson Occom to the Mohegan Tribe at a ceremony later this month.

- From the Middle Temple Library blog's Provenance Mysteries series, "Further Investigations into The Use of Passions."

- The UK Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport has placed a temporary export ban on an early seventeenth-century manuscript volume of Italian and French lute music. See also the official press statement.

- From The Bookhunter on Safari, the first part in a series on "Becoming a Cataloguer."

- Over at Medieval Manuscripts Provenance, "Unnoticed Leaves of Ranulf Higden's Polychronicon."

- Bookseller Dennis Melhouse of First Folio Rare Books is profiled in the Paris (TN) Post-Intelligencer.

- Like the rest of the bibliosphere, I was deeply saddened to learn of the death of book collector Jerry Morris at the Florida Antiquarian Book Fair last weekend. Jerry's blog posts at My Sentimental Library and his other blogs always make for fascinating reading, and I had known him through various LibraryThing projects for some years now. He was a delight to chat with at book fairs, where he enjoyed sharing his finds and hearing about those of others. I will miss him tremendously, and send my deep condolences to his family and friends. More from Rebecca Rego Barry on the Fine Books Blog.

Upcoming Auctions

- Fine Books and Manuscripts, featuring the Library of Roman Vishniac at Bonhams New York on 12 April.

- Literature, Illustrated, Graphics & Photography at New England Book Auctions on 12 April.

- History in Manuscript: Letters and Documents from a Distinguished Collection at Sotheby's ends on 13 April.

- Manuscrits Anciens & Livres Anciens et Modernes at Ader on 14 April.

- Fine Photographs at Swann Galleries on 14 April.

Links & Auctions

- Jennifer Schuessler reports for the NYTimes that one of Charlotte Brontë's tiny manuscript books will be offered at the upcoming New York Antiquarian Book Fair. 

- On the BL's Medieval Manuscripts blog, "Deciphering an English exorcism manual."

- Tom Staley died this week; obituaries are in the NYTimes and the Austin America-Statesman.

- Over on the Bodleian's Conveyor blog, "Nature Printing," by Elena Trowsdale.

- Kurt Zimmerman has been making some wonderful new acquisitions, as usual: he recounts a couple in "The Love and Pursuit of Books Unites Us."

- On the AAS Acquisitions Table, "Turner & Fisher's Infant Primer."

- Over at Shakespeare & Beyond, an interview with Brian Cummings about Nicolas Rowe.

- Thomas Venning, Head of Books and Manuscripts for Christie's, offers up a "What I've Learned" feature.

- A fascinating find will be at auction this week at Dominic Winter: Rebecca Rego Barry has the report on the Fine Books Blog (though I have to say I'm fairly unconvinced that this volume could have spent all that much time in the eaves of a thatched roof).

Upcoming Auctions

- Oeuvres Graphiques & Autographes (Aristophil 47) at Aguttes on 5 April.

- Early Printed Books, Historical Autographs & Documents, Travel, Maps & Decorative Prints at Dominic Winter Auctioneers on 6–7 April.

- Bibliothèque d'un Amateur at ALDE on 7 April.

- Printed & Manuscript Americana at Swann Galleries on 7 April.

- Photographs at Bonhams New York on 7 April.

- The Jack and Beverly Waltman Collection with Photography and Fine Art at PBA Galleries on 7 April.

- Comics and Comic Art at Heritage Auctions on 7–10 April.

- Autographes et Manuscrits: Bibliothèque de Monsieur et Madame B, Seconde Partie: Livres Illustrés Anciens, Romantiques et Modernes at Binoche & Giquello on 8 April.

Links & Auctions

- The AAS has released a new suite of videos and associated resources about printing in colonial British North America.

- The British Library has published a new edition of Bernard J. Farmer's 1956 bibliomystery Death of a Bookseller.

- From Medieval Manuscripts Provenance, "The 'Whitby' Psalter."

- Andrea Immel writes about a "Botched Book Curse" for the Cotsen Children's Library blog.

- Bookseller Ken Sanders is profiled in the Daily Utah Chronicle.

Upcoming Auctions

- Rare Autographs, Manuscripts, Photographs & Books at University Archives on 30 March.

- Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper at Forum Auctions on 31 March.

- Autographs & Memorabilia at Chiswick Auctions on 31 March.

- Books in All Fields with Literature, Americana & Maps at PBA Galleries on 31 March.

Links & Auctions

- The Florida Antiquarian Book Fair is coming up 1–3 April. This is always a fun event if you're able to make a visit to St. Petersburg!

- Some movement in the auction world this week, with Bonhams acquiring Skinner, Inc. The new firm will be known as Bonhams Skinner.

- From retiring AOTUS David Ferriero, "By the Numbers, 2010–2022."

 - Shakespeare & Beyond has an excerpt from Dennis Duncan's Index, a History of the.

- Over at Medieval Manuscripts Provenance, "Otto Ege's Psalter with 'Aves' (HL116)."

- Aja Romano writes for Vox asking "When will Hollywood discover Georgette Heyer?"

- At The Collation, "A Blessing to Booksellers" by Rachel Dankert.

Upcoming Auctions

- Bibliothèque M. D.: Livres Précieux at Binoche et Giquello on 22 March.

- Rare Books, Autographs & Maps at Doyle New York on 22 March.

- Fine Books & Ephemera at New England Auctions on 22 March.

- Fine Books and Manuscripts at Bonhams London on 23 March.

- Women Through History at Bonhams London on 23 March.

- Books and Works on Paper at Forum Auctions on 24 March.

- Printed & Manuscript African Americana at Swann Galleries on 24 March.

- Fine Literature – Beats, the Counterculture & Bukowski at PBA Galleries on 24 March.

Links & Auctions

- Todd Peak, the man charged with the theft of rare comics from FSU, entered a not guilty plea earlier this month.

- Coming up on 17 - 20 March, the conference of the Ephemera Society of America, "Creating Places and Spaces."

- The ABAA will hold the New York International Antiquarian Book Fair on 21–24 April.

- LSU has acquired the Wyatt Houston Day Collection of Poetry by African Americans.

- A new website, Mali Magic, features more than 40,000 digitized pages from the Timbuktu manuscripts. See also coverage on the BBC.

- Over at Medieval Manuscripts Provenance, "The Antiphonal of Berardo da Teramo in 1924."

- The estate of J.R.R. Tolkien released some previously-unpublished images of Tolkien's manuscripts and paintings.

- Michael Durrant writes for Early Modern Female Book Ownership about Bangor University's copy of the 1540 Great Bible.

- Over on the NLS blog, "Sir Walter Scott and the historical novel."

- For The Millions, Lenny Picker talked to Dennis Duncan about his new book Index, A History of the.

- The University of Liverpool blog notes a new acquisition of an 1878 travel diary.

- From Christine Jacobson for the Fine Books Blog, "At Risk: Ukraine's Museum of the Book and Printing."

- Susan Martin writes for the Beehive on "Behind the Scenes: Challenges in Processing."

Upcoming Auctions

- Livres de Photographies at Ader on 14 March.

- Livres anciens du XVe au XIXe siècle, Voyages, Sciences & Médecine at ALDE on 16 March.

- Two Day Book Sale at Keys Auctioneers on 16–17 March.