Some Rothschild Manuscripts in 1946

Regular readers will know that I have a particular interest in collections of manuscripts formed and/or dispersed in the first half of the 20th century, including the upheavals of the War years.

I recently bought and read Christopher de Hamel, The Rothschilds and Their Collections of Illuminated Manuscripts, having previously only read the original French edition, which he kindly gave me on publication.[1]

It reminded me that one of my best online book purchases, for about $10, is the "Edition définitive" of a scarce catalogue[2], printed on typically poor-quality post-war paper, of an exhibition held in Paris in the summer of 1946:

"A Thousand Years of French Books" (1948)

I recently had a question from a MSS curator friend: Exactly when and where did the 1948 exhibition called "A Thousand Years of French Books" take place?

Burlington Fine Arts Club Exhibition Catalogues

Many readers of this blog will know the Burlington Fine Arts Club in London held a truly landmark exhibition of about 270 illuminated manuscript books, leaves, and cuttings in 1908, but perhaps most will not know that this was preceded by two others.

"Case B: English Psalters etc.", as displayed at the 1908 exhibition

The catalogues of all three are now available online.

A Girardot de Préfond Manuscript in New York Public Library

For several years I have wondered to whom this bookplate belongs:

New York, Public Library, Spencer MS 76, fol.i verso
Image: Digital Scriptorium