Manuscript Collection (#93)

Chinese zodiac figures, late 18th century. From a Tibetan manuscript

Coronation of King Alexander I of Poland by the Archbishop of Gniezno, Krakow, 1501
Coronation of King Alexander I of Poland by the Archbishop of Gniezno (Gnesen), Krakow, 1501. Three keepers of regalia hold the orb, sword and sceptre, symbols of kingship

Monks at work on manuscripts in a scriptorium, c1900. Liebig trade card

Monk at work on a manuscript in the corner of a scriptorium, 15th century

Codex Borgianus showing confronting deities, Mixtec, Pre-Columbian Mexico, 12th-16th century
Codex Borgianus showing confronting deities, Mixtec, Pre-Columbian Mexico, c1400. The Mixtec civilization flourished from c 1200 until the Spanish conquest in the 16th century

Charles The Bold, Duke of Burgundy, 15th century. Charles (1433-1477), Duke of Burgundy from 1467, accepting a book from Georges Chastellain (c1405 or c1415-1475), the Burgundian chronicler and poet

Greek manuscript of Ptolemys Geography. Artist: Claudius Ptolemy
Greek manuscript of Ptolemys Geography. Ptolemy (Claudius of Ptolemeus) (c90-168) was an Alexandrian astronomer and geographer

Death of Frederick I Barbarossa, 1190 (2nd half of 13th century). Frederick I (c1123-1190), Holy Roman emperor from 1152, drowned trying to cross the River Saleph in Cilicia

The Turkish astronomer Takiuddin at his observatory at Galata, Istanbul, 1581. Showing astronomical instruments in use at the time

Aztec education of boys (left) and girls (right). Boys are shown being punished by a father who holds him over a fire of burning chillies while lecturing him

Zoomorphic form from the Codex Borgianus, Mixtec, Pre-Columbian Mexico, c1400. From the Vatican Museum

Crusaders embarking for the Holy Land, 15th century. Banners show the Papal arms, those of the Holy Roman Emperor and the kings of England, France and Sicily. From Statutes of Order of Saint Esprit

Band of crusaders armed and mounted, 15th century. From Statutes of Order of Saint Esprit

Page from the Vienna Nahua manuscript of Zapotec origin, Mexico

King Solomon welcoming the Queen of Sheba. From the Bible (I Kings10: 2). Chromolithograph after a 15th century miniature in the Breviary of Cardinal Grimani attributed to Hans Memling

A Plantagenet king of England dining. The king depicted is possibly Henry II, who reigned from 1154-1189. Chromolithograph from medieval manuscript

A Plantagenet king of England out hunting. The king depicted is possibly King John (1167-1216). Chromolithograph after a medieval manuscript

Henry VII at the Tower of London, 1485-1509. Henry (1457-1509), the first Tudor monarch, is variously shown greeting a guest, looking out of a window, and signing a document in the White Tower

Title Page Artist: Eugene Titeux
Histoire de la Maison Militaire du Roi de 1814-1830, volume 2

Arabian travellers on camels, being greeted at the end of their journey. After a 13th century Arab manuscript

Siege of the Fortress of Faith. The Fortress of Faith besieged by unbelievers and heretics, defended by the Pope, bishops, monks, clerics and theologians

Title page of Arca Noe, 1675. Artist: Athanasius Kircher
Title page of Arca Noe, 1675. A print from Arca Noe, by Athanasius Kircher, Amsterdam, 1675. Found in the collection of Jean-Claude Carriere

Page from Gutenbergs Bible, c1455. Artist: Johannes Gutenberg
Page from Gutenbergs Bible, c1455. Johann Gutenberg (c1398-1468) is regarded as the inventor of movable type. In 1455 he produced the first large printed book, the Gutenberg Bible

Dyers immersing bolt of cloth in vat of dye placed over a fire, 15th century. At the bottom right is a bundle of sticks (faggots) ready to be added to the fire. From the British Museum

Game of Chess between a Crusader and a Saracen, 13th century. From a Spanish manuscript of a treatise on chess by Alfonso X, the Wise (1221-1284), King of Castile and Leon from 1252

Trojan War: King Priam of Troy mourning over the body of his son Hector, 16th century. The Trojan War was a legendary war fought between the Greeks and Trojans in the 12th or 13th century BC

Henry IV (1367-1413), first Lancastrian king of England, 1399. The son of John of Gaunt, Henry was known as Henry Bolingbroke after his birthplace in Lincolnshire

Richard II (1367-1400), King of England 1377-1399. Richard is portrayed with his patron saints, St Edmund (841-870), king of East Angles

Golden Age of Earthly Paradise, 1567. Streams, bordered by flowers, run through a landscape where humans and animals live in harmony and enjoy the fruits of the earth

Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, 13th century. Jesus, with Joseph on the left and Mary on the right. From an Armenian manuscript of the Gospels

Knights Templar before Jerusalem, c1099, (14th century). Two knights approach the open gate to the city. On the battlements are three Saracen warriors

Joseph of Arimathea receiving Christs blood, 15th century. Watched by the Virgin Mary, Joseph kneels at the foot of the cross holding the Holy Grail to catch the drops of blood falling from the spear

Alexander the Great, (356-323 BC), 1425
Alexander the Great (356-323 BC), c336-c323 BC. In only 13 years, Alexander III of Macedon conquered a vast empire stretching from the Mediterranean to India

Codex Zouche-Nuttall is a pre-Columbian document of Mixtec pictography, 1200-1521. Codex (screenfold manuscript book) comprising 47 leaves, made of painted deer skin, painted

American Declaration of Independence, 4 July 1776

Norse dragon-prowed ship, c10th Century
Norse dragon-prowed ship. Anglo-Saxon manuscript, 10th Century. Now in the British Museum London

St John the Evangelist from the Lindisfarne (Durham) Gospel Book, c720. Produced at Lindisfarne, England, it is St Jeromes Latin version of the four Gospels made in the 4th century

Carthusian monks netting and hooking fish in fishponds at Chartreuse, France, 15th century. Artist: Paul Limbourg
Carthusian monks netting and hooking fish in monastery fishponds at Chartreuse, France, 15th century. The monastery at Chartreuse was founded by St Bruno of Cologne in 1084

Coronation and unction of a king, 13th century. The king depicted is probably Henry III of England (1207-1272), who was crowned at Gloucester in 1216 and at Westminster in 1220

Roger Bacon, English experimental scientist, philosopher and Franciscan friar. Bacon (c1214-1292) was known as Doctor Mirabilis due to his interest in magic and alchemy

Poster illustrating The History of Golf, c1970

William II of England ( c. 1056-1100), wood engraving, published in 1881
William II (William Rufus, or William the Red, c.aE1056 - 1100) of England. Woocut engraving after an old miniature drawing in Paris, published in 1881

Man and dog at the piano
Unusual Friends - man and dog at the piano. 1950s

Portolan atlas by Joan Martines (1556-1590). Detail South
Portolan atlas of the world by Joan Martines (1556-1590). Messina, 1587. Detail of South America. Atlantic Coast. National Library. Madrid. Spain

Portolan atlas by Joan Martines (1556-1590). Messina
Portolan atlas of the world by Joan Martines (1556-1590). Messina, 1587. National Library. Madrid. Spain

Ornate alphabet patterns. circa 1900

Susi - with guitar and bone. 1950s

Susi - piano duet with kitten. 1950s

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"Unveiling the Treasures: A Journey through Time and Knowledge" Step into the world of manuscripts, where history comes alive through ink and parchment. From Mozart's haunting Requiem excerpt to Stravinsky's revolutionary Rite of Spring, these pages hold the echoes of musical genius that have transcended centuries. Marvel at the intricate illustrations in the Book of Kells, as St. Matthew springs to life with vibrant colors and meticulous detail. Witness Byzantine mastery in Hippocrates' code of ethical conduct, a cross-shaped manuscript guiding healers through centuries past. Mendeleyev's periodic table revolutionized science, forever immortalizing his groundbreaking discoveries on paper. The court record from Salem witch trials serves as a chilling reminder of humanity's darkest moments, etched forever in time. William Blake's illustration from Songs of Innocence and Experience captures innocence lost amidst societal turmoil. Lindisfarne Gospels transport us back to an era when faith was illuminated by stunning artwork on every page. Witness Botticelli's Primavera come alive before your eyes; each brushstroke tells a story within this masterpiece. Bar Kokhba’s original Dead Sea Scroll reveals ancient wisdom preserved for generations to come. Finally, Wagner's Gotterdammerung takes center stage as his magnum opus unfolds on paper—a testament to human creativity and passion throughout history. These they are not mere relics; they are gateways to understanding our collective past—the triumphs, struggles, and aspirations that shape who we are today. Let their words and images guide you on a journey through time—an exploration that will leave you inspired by the power held within these fragile yet enduring pages.