Re: VMS rotoscopes at the British Library...?

[Jorge Stolfi <stolfi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

    > I only hope that whatever method is used to make the digital copy does
    > not disturb the binding any more than it has already been through.
    > I can't imagine it would.  I fully intend to do a complete analysis of
    > the manuscript's binding early next year when I've moved back to the
    > east coast.  If nothing else, it should give us some insight into
    > the purpose of the book.  My current theory is that the physical
    > book structure was a blank book, effectively the early renaissance
    > version of a student's notebook, and that the text and illustrations
    > were added after it was bound.  This is based on the very scantest
    > of evidence collected from other people's descriptions, and I'd like
    > to know whether I'm barking up the wrong tree.

It seems unlikely that the binding can tell us much. There is internal
evidence that the pages were bound in the wrong order: for instance,
there is a figure in the bio section that spans two pages and
therefore (almost certainly) was originally placed at the center of a
quire --- but now the two halves are separated by other inserted sheets.
Also, the sequence of A- and B-language pages in the herbal section 
strongly suggests that the vellum sheets were randomly shuffled prior to
binding.

Since the folio numbers are correct for the present binding, we
must conclude that they are not original either. 

It seems most likely that, in its original form, the VMS was either
kept unbound, or got so damaged that it had to be rebound. It is
possible, in fact, that what we have now is only what could be
salvaged from a larger, badly damaged original. (Note the many stains
still visible on the images.) In any case, the present binding
was probably done by some late owner who was unable to read the text.

Lastly, I believe that the binding is *known* to have been restored
recently, and the outer cover may have been provided by Voyinch or
Krause. I recall reading something about it in the Beinecke catalog
entry, as well as in some other document available in netland.

All the best,

--stolfi