Re: VMS foliation - Rafal Prinke's theory examined...

[Nick Pelling <incoming@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Rafal,

> OK - but even if you find one or two suspect examples, it is
> no hard evidence. Both VMS foliator and Kelley may have had
> moments of bad mood when their pens just went astray.
> I was still taught to write with pen and ink (early 1960's)
> and can remember that when the pen ran out of ink, you
> dipped it in ink and continued the letter from wherever
> you finished.

I too learnt to write (though in the late 1960s) with both an italic nib 
and a simple nib, and remember having to form letters slightly differently 
depending on the pen - the italic nib made strokes awkward if you try to 
push up the paper.

Which is why I'd be interested to see Kelley's italic writing - 
single-stroke 8 is just about worst case for italic.

> Before you do that, perhaps you could check both against
> a neutral witness - some sample English manuscript in the British
> Library from circa 1580-1600 with foliation which was certainly
> *not* by Dee or Kelley. If they look identical again - then
> it would indeed be a waste of money to buy the reproduction!

This is a very sensible idea, thanks.

Best wishes, .....Nick Pelling.....