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.

Links & Auctions

- Rebecca Romney has an essay in Uncanny Magazine, "Resisting the Monolith: Collecting as Counter Narrative."

- There's a new provenance mystery for us from the Middle Temple Library.

- Over on the Cotsen Children's Library blog, "A Rare Print Makes a Poor Fan But a Great Find!" [With many thanks to John Overholt for pointing out the inclusion of a book I collect in the image!]

- From The Bookhunter on Safari, "Becoming a Book-Hunter."

- Erin Blake writes for The Collation on "18th-century watchpapers."

- Alison Flood reports for the Guardian on Susan Jaffe Tane's recent donations of Poe items to the Poe Museum in Richmond, VA.

- From Jerry Morris, "About William Strunk, Jr. and his Other Books."

Upcoming Auctions

- Books & Manuscripts including the Monsieur X Collection at Artcurial on 8 March.

- American Historical Ephemera & Photography at Hindman on 8 March.

- Books and Works on Paper at Forum Auctions on 10 March.

- Decorative and Graphic Arts with Illustrated & Antiquarian Books, Fine Press & Fine Bindings at PBA Galleries on 10 March.

- Rare Books & Ephemera at Addison & Sarova on 12 March.

- Bookworm Sale at Addison & Sarova on 13 March.

Links & Auctions

- The sixth annual Honey & Wax Book Collecting Prize is now open for submissions.

- Over on the BL's Medieval Manuscripts blog, "Meaning in the Margins of the Theodore Psalter."

- The Grolier Club has begun a blog series on their Japanese manuscripts.

- Mark Godburn's "Early Bindery Dust Jackets" is now available on the ABAA blog.

- New on Twitter, @bookprobate, featuring probate material concerning members of the early English book trades.

Upcoming Auctions

- Early Printing, Americana, Bibles at New England Book Auctions on 1 March.

- Travel & Exploration at Bonhams London on 2 March.

- Printed Books & Maps, Birds, Fish, Insects & Flowers at Dominic Winter Auctioneers on 2 March.

- History, Military, Art, Early, Australia, Norman Lindsay, Private Press and more at Sydney Rare Book Auctions on 4 March.

Links & Auctions

- The Online Greenwich Village Antiquarian Book Fair continues through today on Getman's Virtual.

- An Alberto Sangorski illuminated manuscript is missing from the Oakland University Libraries following a leak in December. See the ABAA report for details and contact information.

- Bamber Gascoigne, author of How to Identify Prints (and longtime host of "University Challenge") died 8 February, aged 87.

- On a new "Bite Sized Book History" episode, Allie Alvis talks to Rebecca Romney and Brian Cassidy of Type Punch Matrix, "What's a Rare Book Seller?"

Upcoming Auctions

- Maps and Atlases at Forum Auctions on 22 February.

- Lettres et Manuscrits Autographes at Ader on 22–23 February (Tuesday, Wednesday).

- African Americana at Hindman on 23 February.

- Modern Literature at Forum Auctions on 24 February.

- Vintage Posters at Swann Galleries on 24 February.

- Americana – Travel – Natural History – Maps at PBA Galleries on 24 February.

- Fine Books & Manuscripts at Potter & Potter Auctions on 26 February.

Links & Auctions

 - Todd Peak, 38, the head of security at Florida State University's Strozier Library, has been charged with the theft of some 5,000 rare comics from the library's collections. Charges include grand theft of more than $100,000, fraud, dealing in stolen property, and sale of stolen property using the internet. So far, only about 2,800 of the stolen comics have been recovered.

- The British Library has announced a major new project to digitize manuscripts, rolls, and charters connected to medieval and Renaissance women.

- The Museum of the American Revolution has acquired a collection of some 200 documents relating to Black and Native American soldiers in the American Revolution.

- Joanna Colclough writes for the LC blog, "Belle de Costa Green: Library Director, Advocate, and Rare Books Expert."

 - From Books and Borrowing, "Forgotten Best-Sellers: Mary Brunton's Self-Control (1811)."

- Cynthia Brokaw's Panizzi Lectures are now available for viewing.

- Adam Smyth's latest at TEXT! is "Grangerising: Exploding and Ballooning Books."

- There's a new Bite Sized Book History video up, "Magic Movable Pop-Up Books!"

- Another tranche of Copyright Historical Record Books are now available from the Library of Congress.

- New to me: "Digitization as a Teachable Feature, or 'How did those images get there?!'"

- On the JHI Blog podcast, Glauco Schettini interviews Hannah Marcus about her book Forbidden Knowledge: Medicine, Science, and Censorship in Early Modern Italy.

- From Oana Godeanu-Kenworthy, "Roughing it in the Bush: The Politics of the Book in Early Canada."

- A really lovely and interesting digital font project based on the Exeter Book.

Upcoming Auctions

- The Connoisseur's Library Sale at Bonhams London on 15–16 February.

- Printed Books, Maps, Decorative Prints & Watercolours at Dominic Winter Auctioneers on 16 February.

- Rare Autographs, Manuscripts, Photographs & Books at University Archives on 16 February.

- Books and Works on Paper at Forum Auctions on 17 February. 

- Books and Manuscripts at Freeman's on 17 February.

- A Grand Vision: The David H. Arrington Collection of Ansel Adams Photographs at Sotheby's New York on 17 February.

- Fine Books & Autographs at Swann Galleries on 17 February.

Links & Auctions

- Rare Books Pasadena continues through today, and the California International Antiquarian Book Fair begins on 11 February.

- Sandra Hindman has a new post on the AbeBooks blog, "Explaining Books of Hours."

- From Keith Houston, "a fistful of manicules."

 - Catalogers, take note: DCRM (RDA Edition) is now available.

- Over at Medieval Manuscripts Provenance, "A Spanish Choirbook Dated 1522."

- James Joyce's grandson has donated a large collection of Joyceana to the University of Reading.

- From Books & Borrowing, "Forgotten Best-Sellers: John Moore's Zeluco (1789)."

- There's a new crowdsourced transcription project: Corresponding with Quakers.

- Rare Book Monthly articles for February include Michael Stillman's update on auction sales, Susan Halas' interview with Glen Miranker,

Upcoming Auctions

- Original Film Posters at Sotheby's London ends on 8 February.

- Fine Books & Ephemera at New England Book Auctions ends on 8 February.

- Fine Books, Manuscripts and Works on Paper at Forum Auctions on 10 February.

- Fine Photographs at Swann Galleries on 10 February.

- PBA Platinum: Rare Books and Manuscripts at PBA Galleries on 10 February.

Links & Auctions

- Congratulations to the new officers and board members of the BSA and APHA, elected this week.

- Taylor Dafoe writes for Artnet about the results of the Ruth Bader Ginsburg library sale at Bonhams this week.

- From Peter Kidd, "Another Unrecognized Budé Manuscript?"

- New from Lambeth Palace Library, a project to identify and document the provenance marks found in books from the Sion College Library collections.

- Over at Early Modern Female Book Ownership, "Lady Dorothy Long's Library."

- Adam Smyth's latest TEXT! installment is "Waste."

- Gerard McKeever writes for Books & Borrowing, "Anatomy of a Holding: Robert Burns at the Wigtown Subscription Library."

Upcoming Auctions

- Photographs at Hindman on 1 February.

- Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps & Photographs featuring the Library of the Late William St Clair at Lyon & Turnbull on 2 February.

- The World of Anime at Bonhams New York ends on 2 February.

- 19th and 20th Century Vintage Posters at Bonhams London ends on 3 February.

- Comic Books at PBA Galleries on 3 February.

Links & Auctions

- The Ephemera Society of America's Virtual Ephemera Fair is open today and tomorrow (22–23 January) over on Getman's Virtual.

- The Bibliography Week schedule is up. The ABAA's Bibliography Week Showcase will be live on 26–27 January.

- Rebecca Rego Barry reviews the new Grolier Club exhibition of Glen Miranker's Sherlock Holmes collection for CrimeReads.

- Jerry Morris has a new post about his collection of early editions of Strunk & White.

- From Alan Krieger for the Notre Dame RBSC blog, "Seventeenth Century Dominicans Supporting the Doctrine of the Immaculate Conception."

- Over at Books & Borrowing, "William MacGregor Stirling: Minister, Historian, and Antiquarian."

- Kurt Zimmerman has a new post about some recent wonderful association copies he's acquired, in "Every Book Its Story."

- From Clive Thompson, "A Search Engine That Finds You Weird Old Books."

Upcoming Auctions

- Manuscrits & Lettres Autographes at Aguttes on 25 January.

- Fine Books and Manuscripts, Including Americana at Sotheby's New York ends on 25 January.

- Printed Books & Maps, The Sinclair Hood Library of Archaeology, The Charles Tomlinson Poetry Library at Dominic Winter Auctioneers on 26 January.

- Histoire des Idées Politiques et Sociales – Économie Politique – Finances at ALDE on 27 January.

- Books & Works on Paper including Contents from the Estate of Paul Gallego at Chiswick Auctions on 27 January.

- The Library of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg at Bonhams New York ends on 27 January.

- January 2022 Auction at Arader Galleries on 29 January.

Links & Auctions

- Marsha Lederman writes for the Globe and Mail about the University of British Columbia's recent acquisition of a Shakespeare First Folio. And this isn't your standard "library buys book" story either - there are some interesting wrinkles! This copy, West 202 in the censuses, was previously at Meisei University (apparently with at least one intervening owner). Meisei seems to have deaccessioned two copies of the First Folio sometime in the last ten years, which I hadn't been aware of prior to looking in the censuses for info on this copy: their website now says they have ten First Folios, rather than twelve as before.

- Christie's announced their plans this week for the sale of Bill Reese's collection, including an exhibition of selected materials this month. Jennifer Schuessler has coverage in the NYTimes.

- Carissa Pastuch writes for the LC's Worlds Revealed Blog on "Al-Idrisi's Masterpiece of Medieval Geography."

- David Ferriero will retire as the Archivist the United States in mid-April 2022.

Review

- Mark Argetsinger's A Grammar of Typography; review by Joshua Langman at Typographica.

Upcoming Auctions

- Literature, Graphic, Illustrated at New England Book Auctions ends on 18 January.

- Books and Works on Paper at Forum Auctions on 20 January. 

- Important Americana at Christie's New York on 20–21 January.

- Important Numismatic Books at Kolbe & Fanning ends on 22 January.

- Bonhams had announced that their sale of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's library would begin on Wednesday, 19 January, but the auction page now redirects back to the main page. Not sure what's going on there but perhaps we'll learn something soon (maybe an institutional acquisition?). [Edited to add: the link seems to work again but the complete catalog still isn't available so, who knows.]

Links & Auctions

- Getman's Rare Book & PaperPalooza continues through Sunday 9 January.

- Don't forget to register for upcoming Bibliography Week events sponsored by the Bibliographical Society of America. Some really excellent programming to choose from.

- A long-running publishing industry mystery may finally have come to a conclusion this week with the arrest of a man for wire fraud and identity theft.

- The BL's Medieval Manuscripts blog has an annual update on their digitization efforts.

- Over at Early Modern Female Book Ownership, a copy of John Suckling's Fragmenta Aurea from the library of Anne Coote Boyle, Viscountess Blessington.

- From Peter Kidd at Medieval Manuscripts Provenance, "Arthur Haddaway's Price-Code."

Upcoming Auctions

- Fine Books & Ephemera at New England Book Auctions ends on 11 January.

- Books and Works on Paper at Forum Auctions on 13 January.

- Fine Literature – With the Beats, Bukowski & Counterculture at PBA Galleries on 13 January.

Links & Auctions

Happy New Year!

- Daniel Boffey writes for the Guardian on the recent sale at auction of one of the smallest printed books, produced in 1952 by the Gutenberg Museum.

- Over on the Leiden Special Collections blog, "Tears behind a manuscript: the tragic history of a Dutch East Indies' officer."

- From Lisa Fagin Davis, "Fragmentology in the COVID-era Classroom."

- SHARP offers up Cecile Jagodzinski's "The History of Paper: A Select Bibliography."

- Over on the BL's Medieval Manuscripts blog, "On Her Majesty's Secret Service."

- Don't miss Michael Stillman's annual review of the top prices for books and manuscripts at auction in 2021.

Upcoming Auctions

- Rare Autographs, Photographs, Books at University Archives on 6 January.

- Books in All Fields with Americana, Travel, Maps & Art at PBA Galleries ends on 6 January.