[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: VMs: Reasearching the VMs at Beinecke

Hello Rene,

Yes, the 'a, b, c' are in pencil. This was possible done by "HH" whose initials appears in the back cover of the binding of the VMs. HH may have worked for Kraus or might have been someone who did binding work on the VMs when it arrived at the Beinecke Library (ref. note inside back cover). This individual apparently added the linen thread and leather thongs to reinforce the binding of the VMs. Note, based on my observations, I suspect that the outer binding is modern. The texture of the "skin" appears no where else in the VMs. Inside the covers we can seen that a pasted page has been removed with the glued down edges still remaining. The leather thongs and "virgin" leather support strips for the bindings seems "new". I believe that the cover to the manuscript initially contained another manuscript. There are two remnants of "old" leather cord still visible at the top and bottom of the cover panels.

I can detect 4 separate binding of the VMs. I you look at 71v and 101v you will see that one of the gutter folds in each of these samples is unusually wide. The reason for this is that certain quires of the VMs were folded, not bound together into neat packets. Therefore, certain sections of the VMs were originally simply folded, possibly for easy of transportation. The dirt and creases of these packets can easily be seen. The dirt suggests that these were working packets carried around from place to place. I experimented with this fold process and it work out very nicely. So the "original" binding was performed simply by folding the contents of cetain quires. Another distinguishing feature of the packet folios is that certain folios have a very nice soft velvet type feel like peach fuzz.

There are also signs that certain folios have been borrowed from other sources. This is evidenced by straight line folded creases that can be seen when holding up the folio page to sunlight (I went through of number of physical contortions of myself to look at the manuscript; proper lighting was a bit difficult). I suspect that the reason the edges of some of the folios were cut short and at a slant is perhaps to remove prior foldings and blemishes left over from the "original" document.

The "thicker" folios such as f1 is due, I believe, to a weather effect and exposure of some of the folios which feel like a hardened "starchy" leather. I would classify the starchiness of the folios as low, medium, and high starch with some peach fuzz thrown in for good measure. There are only a few that I would classify as "high starch" leather, which would typically be found at the beginning and possibly ends of certain quires.


Dana




From: Rene Zandbergen <r_zandbergen@xxxxxxxxx>
Reply-To: vms-list@xxxxxxxxxxx
To: vms-list@xxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: VMs: Reasearching the VMs at Beinecke
Date: Sat, 27 Aug 2005 08:23:09 -0700 (PDT)


Hello Dana,

it was first noticed by Jim Reeds that some pages
seem to be of 'thicker'  vellum than others.
A list of this was never made. It could
be a relevant piece of information on how the book
was put together.

Also, be sure to take time to check the boxes with
additional information. If you have a digital
camera, the notebooks by Mrs Voynich, with
potential plant identifications and other
hypotheses, would be a good source.

I think that of three boxes of letters microfilms
were already made, so you could save a lot
of time by not having to go through them.

Could you confirm that the a, b,c written in
the upper corners of some astro/cosmo pages
are written in pencil? This is my impression.

Cheers and enjoy,
    Rene


--- DANA SCOTT <dscott520@xxxxxxx> wrote:

>
> Hello All,
>
> I am currently researching the VMs and accompanying
> documents at the
> Beinecke Library.  It is a wonderful experience to
> be able to examine the
> original incunabula.  If anyone has a burning need
> for me to examine a
> particular item, please do not hesitate to ask.  I
> will be here next week as
> well.
>
>
> Kind Regards,
> Dana Scott
>
>
>
______________________________________________________________________
> To unsubscribe, send mail to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxx
> with a body saying:
> unsubscribe vms-list
>




____________________________________________________
Start your day with Yahoo! - make it your home page
http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs

______________________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe, send mail to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxx with a body saying:
unsubscribe vms-list



______________________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe, send mail to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxx with a body saying:
unsubscribe vms-list