#bookhistory
Philosophical Sweets
The delightful ornamentation around the page numbers in this 1795 tract is a contrast to the dense German philosophy of the text. We think it looks like each page number has been placed in a candy wrapper.
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Rosy Outlook
Two examples from a run of annual gift books with religious themes. This American series, published 1840-1858, was edited by women: Sarah C. Edgarton and Caroline M. Sawyer.
The Rose of Sharon: a Religious Souvenir. Boston: A. Tompkins and B.B. Mussey, 1840-1858.
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Extra Illustration
The early reader of this early German book of sermons clearly had some artistic talent…which absolutely cannot be said for many (most?) others.
Tauler, Johannes. Sermon Des Gross Gelarten in Gnade[n] Erlauchte[n] Doctoris Johannis Thauleri Predigerr Ordens… Durch Cunradum Kachelouen, 1498.
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Read This…Or Else
Earlier this spring we hosted a “virtual” class visit for the Theological German language class at Harvard Divinity School. For the occasion, we brought out our oldest printed German work, a collection of sermons attributed to 14th century mystic Johannes Tauler.
We took the opportunity to take a closer look at this copy, which turns out to be FILLED with great marginalia, including notes and drawings. We’ll be posting more from this book in coming weeks.
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Summer Reading
Please enjoy this verdant, leafy paste paper decorating an early 19th century book in French about an Italian priest, printed in Belgium.
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Sail Away
This device at the end of a collection of sermons printed in Nuremberg, 1562 by Christoph Heussler has a decidedly steampunk feel to it!
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Marbled Monday–Camouflage!
Three 19th-century volumes by the German philosopher Hegel are doing their best to blend in with the reading room table.
Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel’s Werke. Vollständige Ausgabe … Berlin: Verlag Von Duncker Und Humblot, 1832-1845.
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Woodcut Wednesday: Watch it with that!
What would this winged fellow need with a knife? We must assume he used it in the construction of the big letter L.
Woodcut initial in the 1516 Greek New Testament by Erasmus.
Erasmus, Desiderius (ed.). Novum instrumentu[m] omne. [Basileae, in aedibus Ioannis Frobenii, 1516]
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Floating Finis Friday
We found these flying fellows at the end of a 1747 American imprint on the oh-so cheerful subject of Judgement Day.
Welcome Book History Students!
Last week we welcomed a Harvard class studying the History of the Book to the Rabinowitz Room to explore materials from the era of the Protestant Reformation. Among others, students explored 16th century theological pamphlets, books with Martin Luther embossed on their covers, biblical translations by Erasmus, copies of the Index of Prohibited Books, a manuscript copy of a book condemned for heresy, and printed books that have manuscript “waste” used as covers or in bindings.
We wish we could keep this stuff out all the time!
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Latin over Latin
An older Latin manuscript leaf made a neat cover for a 16th century Latin book of Reformed theology by Heinrich Bullinger (1504-1575). The Latin of the manuscript is very abbreviated–economical but definitely made for an experienced reader.
And if that’s not enough, a former owner or reader has embellished the rear endpapers with a delightful design. (Perhaps someone’s initials?)
Bullinger, Heinrich. Catechesis pro adultioribus scripta… Tiguri : Apud Frosch., 1563.
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Bottoms Up
Great evidence that this 16th century book of ancient history was not always stored spine-out! The author, title, and a location/item number (68) appear on the lower edge of the text block. Because we are so used to storing books vertically now, the pretty lettering in this location makes it feel like you’ve found a secret message.
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Marbled Monday (Modern)
This 20th century marbled paper wrapper is a brilliant disguise for a 17th century Dutch tract on Demonology.
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Bookplate Beauts: Jerome
We love this bookplate, in use in the mid-20th century at Andover-Harvard Theological Library (now Harvard Divinity School Library) partially because the Latin translation by St. Jerome (also called Hieronymous) is so important in the history of biblical studies, but also because Jerome is the patron saint of librarians. :)
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Disoriented
To be fair, it’s a little swirly and fancy so perhaps it was an easy mistake to make…The location on this 1810 music book has an upside-down “Boston” on the printed wrapper. We love the little oopsies that remind us that books are made by humans.
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Christmas Carols
This 1882 book does not really contain Christmas carols per se, but it is a beautiful Christmas-y red.
The Hymnal Companion : Is It a Book for Evangelical Men? With a Few Words on Carols and Prayer Books. Toronto: Hunter, Rose and Company, 1882.
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More Sketchy Figures
Back by popular demand! More from our 1495 book of sermons by Johannes Tauler. These are some of the more…ahem…interestingsketches.
Tauler, Johannes. Sermon Des Gross Gelarten in Gnade[n] Erlauchte[n] Doctoris Johannis Thauleri Predigerr Ordens… Durch Cunradum Kachelouen, 1498.
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Mini-cule
We are smitten with the tiny pointing hands (aka manicules) in our 1495 edition of sermons by Johannes Tauler.
Tauler, Johannes. Sermon Des Gross Gelarten in Gnade[n] Erlauchte[n] Doctoris Johannis Thauleri Predigerr Ordens… Durch Cunradum Kachelouen, 1498.
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Creepy Crawlies II – With a Smile
More images from a biblical commentary with some not so obviously biblical additions. They can feel icky if you don’t care for bugs, but we couldn’t help laughing at (laughing with?) this bundled up, E.T.-like critter.
These images are from a recent donation of hundreds of religious themed engravings and illustrations. We have determined a subcollection of these is from the Kupfer-Bibel: in welcher die Physica sacra, oder beheiligte Naturwissenschafft derer in Heil. Augspurg & Ulm: Gedruckt bey Christian Ulrich Wagner, 1731-1735.
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Creepy Crawlies
For Halloween week here’s a real “treat” of some creepy details from a 18th century publication that combines biblical commentary with depictions of flora and fauna of the natural world. The passage connecting these critters with the bible is Exodus VIII:16-20 which explains how though the people had been warned not to let the nourishing manna remain on the ground, “…they did not listen to Moses; some left part of it until morning, and it bred worms and became foul.”
These images are from a recent donation of hundreds of religious themed engravings and illustrations. We have determined a subcollection of these is from the Kupfer-Bibel: in welcher die Physica sacra, oder beheiligte Naturwissenschafft derer in Heil. Augspurg & Ulm: Gedruckt bey Christian Ulrich Wagner, 1731-1735.
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Bookplate Beauts: Samuel H. Miller
We are starting a new series on bookplates in our collections! We plan to show ownership bookplates used by Harvard Divinity School Library over the past 200 years, but also interesting bookplates from former owners.
What better way to kick off the new series the week of Halloween with the personal bookplate of Samuel H. Miller (1900-1968), former HDS Dean and accomplished artist. (He created his bookplate himself using a linocut technique.) His motto here, Periissem nisi periissem, was also the motto of theologian Soren Kierkegaard, and could be translated as “I would have perished had I not perished.”
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Built to Last
Though the leather is worn away in places, and almost completely absent on its spine, this heavy tome containing biblical texts in several languages is remarkably durable. It is old and precious, but completely functional. The boards are still sturdily attached and ready for another few centuries of life.
Biblia Sacra Hebraice, Chaldaice, Graece & Latine… Excud. Antuerpiae: Christoph. Plantinus, 1569.
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London : T. Tegg, [1827]
1 score (vii, 327 p.) ; 20 cm.
Added t.p., engraved, dated 1827.
With unaccompanied melodies to most of the songs.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Today’s entry features a song titled “Éirinn go Brách” or “Erin Go Bragh” printed in an early 19th century songbook. The book, The Thrush, has a beautiful engraving on the title page, as well as a mix of tunes sourced primarily from England and Scotland.
This particular musical declaration of “Erin Go Bragh” is often subtitled “the exiled Irishman’s lament”.
Its authorship was a matter of some dispute in 1844, when Thomas Campbell claimed to have written the song, though it was attributed to a George Nugent Reynolds. You can read the resulting exchange in the brochure, “Memoranda of Irish matters, by obscure men of good intention”, available via Google Books (the discussion starts on page 81). Members the Reynolds family and other acquaintances provide evidence that George indeed wrote the song.
The memorandum concludes:
Some days after this memorandum had been sent to press, the melancholy intelligence of the death of Mr. Campbell arrived in Dublin.
Upon this announcement, the first impulse of the writer of this Memoranda was to sup press altogether this paper, lest its publication might wound the feelings of the surviving relatives of the poet.
But upon consideration he did not feel that he had a right to keep back the solemn declarations of the family and friends of Mr. Reynolds upon this subject, which had been entrusted to him for the purpose of publication.
He has accordingly allowed that portion of the Memorandum which contains these declarations to be printed, and has suppress ed the remainder. He found it impossible, in the short time allowed for revision, so to re-mould his arguments as to avoid attach ing some blame to Mr. Campbell for his con duct in this matter, and this he could not bear to do so soon after the poet’s eyes were closed in death.
Oh, and there’s a song called “Corn Rigs are Bonny”. #iowa
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I stumbled across these absolutely fabulous #EndoftheWeekPapers as I was browsing through Jugend today – aren’t they cheerful? Jugend in 1920 is rather different from its first issues in 1896, but the #endpapers are always wonderful.⠀ 053 M921⠀
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#jugend #jugendstil #artdeco #birbs #parrots #deco #bookbinding #bibliophile #bookstagram #booklover #rarebooks #specialcollections #librariesofinstagram #iglibraries #mizzou #universityofmissouri #ellislibrary #ifttt
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“Do you think that perhaps Death sleeps because you are healthy? Be careful: he arrives suddenly."⠀
This little book is called "The Messenger of Death,” and the captions really are #SpineTingling. #HappyHalloween, y'all!⠀
BX2180 .D65 1645⠀
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#skeletons #creepy #halloween #woodcutwednesday #mementomori #bibliophile #bookstagram #booklover #rarebooks #specialcollections #librariesofinstagram #iglibraries #mizzou #universityofmissouri #ellislibrary #ifttt
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Apparently it is already November? Not sure when that happened.⠀
NE905 .S2⠀
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#bibliophile #incunable #woodcut #meme #mathmeme #november #timeflies #bookstagram #booklover #rarebooks #specialcollections #librariesofinstagram #iglibraries #mizzou #universityofmissouri #ellislibrary #ifttt
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Happy Halloween! I was planning to post some traditionally skeletal #bookguts, but this little murder cherub initial from Vesalius smiled its way straight past #SpineTingling and all the way into chilling. Look at that razor!⠀
QM21 .V418 1555 ⠀
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#skeletons #cherubs #bookguts #sweeneytodd #vesalius #anatomy #bibliophile #bookstagram #booklover #rarebooks #specialcollections #librariesofinstagram #iglibraries #mizzou #universityofmissouri #ellislibrary #ifttt
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