Newsletter40
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
No. 40: May 2003 ISSN 0263-3442 AMARC NEWSLETTER Newsletter of the Association for Manuscripts and Archives in Research Collections AMARC News Recent AMARC Meetings production. Before the scribe or illuminator had even picked up their tools, the ruling indicated what sort of book was envisioned. 13 Dec. Warburg Institute, London In Honour of the Late A. C. (Tilly) de la Mare David Rundle, who has in many ways assumed Because she wrote her PhD on the Florentine Tilly’s mantle in the field of English humanistic bookseller Vespasiano da Bisticci at the Warburg books—particularly those made and owned in the Institute, it was particularly appropriate that an circle of Duke Humfrey—spoke on ‘Humanistic AMARC meeting in honour of Tilly de la Mare manuscripts owned by John Tiptoft’, showing how should be held there. observations and hypotheses offered by Tilly and Richard Hunt decades ago have been borne out by Christopher de Hamel spoke first, on ‘The study of later research, and continue to bear fruit. Italian Humanistic manuscripts in England from Cockerell to de la Mare’, charting the development Finally, Anne Rycraft, in ‘“Often scruffy of what he showed to be a peculiarly English field documents”: looking for English humanistic of study, from Sydney Cockerell around the start script’, examined the adoption of humanistic script of the 20th century, through a series of amateur in England, by tracing its appearance in enthusiasts—often practising calligraphers, private documentary sources such as university registers. collectors, or private-press printers—through the In this way she is able to not only provide professionalisation of the subject, notably with the precisely dated occurrences of the script in precise encouragement of Richard Hunt at the Bodleian, locations, usually by named scribes, but also and finally to a more widespread international vividly to sketch the way in which the script might interest in humanistic script and manuscripts, for appear and disappear, not only from year to year, which Tilly is in large part responsible. but also from page to page or line to line. Nicholas Mann spoke next, on ‘Petrarch’s English With the end of the formal papers, mince pies and journey: the medieval discovery of renaissance wine were served, accompanied by a practical man’, showing how Petrarch’s influence and demonstration of various scripts being written by writings can be seen infiltrating the work of calligrapher Paul Antonio. More than 60 AMARC authors such as Chaucer, despite the fact that members and other participants attended the Petrarch’s vernacular writings would not have meeting; Consuelo Dutschke and Barbara Shailor, been much read outside Italy, except through the unable to be present in person, sent a flower intermediary of translations into other vernaculars arrangement in Tilly’s memory. or Latin. (Incidentally, it was a pleasure to have heard Tilly recount, 20 years after the event—but 4 Apr., Society of Antiquaries, London with undiminished and infectious excitement— Picturing Places: Collecting and Interpreting how, in her words, she “came face to face with Topographical Drawings Petrarch in the Bodleian stacks” when she chanced Michael St John writes: upon a manuscript with his annotations). The splendid surroundings for the spring meeting Tilly described herself simply as a palaeographer, were matched by a fine sequence of papers. but for her this term encompassed quiet mastery of Bernard Nurse, our hosts’ librarian, opened numerous fields: art history, textual criticism, proceedings with a survey of the Society’s role as liturgy, heraldry, and many others, including both patron and collector of topographical codicology. Albert Derolez’s paper examined one materials. Although the former of these roles was aspect of codicology: ‘Ruling in quattrocento hamstrung in the early days by a lack of good manuscripts: types and techniques’, showed how a draughtsmen, having directors and secretaries, close examination of page-rulings can provide us such as Stukely and Gough, who were enthusiasts with a clearer picture of some of the most of topographical materials, ensured that the role fundamental details of humanistic book- was maintained. Such enthusiasm also helped the Society to build up the third largest collection of Brett Dolman (Historic Royal Palaces) spoke topographical drawings in the country. Bernard about a NOF project he undertook whilst a Curator closed by looking at current developments such as in the Department of Manuscripts of the British the role of the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) in Library. He used the drawings of S.H. Grimm and digitisation projects, the work of Re-source, and the notebooks of Grimm’s patron, Sir Richard the increasing interest in local history as pointing Kay, rector of Kirkby-in-Ashfield, to show how to a bright future for topographical collections. the combination of topographical material and the written record can be used to portray the life of a John Farrant (Universitas Higher Education town or village. So the state of the rural poor, the Management Consultants) described the trials and changing nature of the landscape, the religious tribulations inherent in compiling an inventory of proclivities of the town’s inhabitants, and other topographical drawings of Sussex. The dispersal of snapshots of life in a pre-industrial collections of drawings on the artist’s death, and Nottinghamshire village were all richly illustrated the fact that many ‘one-off’ drawings were bought by Grimm’s drawings and Kay’s words. and sold amongst private individuals ensured that drawings of Sussex might be found all over the Proceedings were rounded off by Sarah Wickham world. Wide variations in cataloguing standards, (Archivist, Royal Northern College of Music) archivists’ attitudes towards digital cameras in who, whilst at Lambeth Palace Library worked on reading rooms, and differing attitudes to access a NOF project to digitise 12,600 plans and and reproductions all conspired to hinder John’s drawings of the Incorporated Church Building work yet he has managed to locate 8000 items. Society. Sarah detailed the stages of the project beginning with an initial catalogue database which Paul Harvey (Emeritus Professor of Medieval itself increased interest in the collection making a History, University of Durham) then gave a bid for funding to digitise even stronger. The fascinating talk on the history of the tourist picture funding process took two years but this enabled book up to the late 1890s when the advent of the the team to be ready to start the minute the funding picture postcard spelled the beginning of the end was approved. An in-house scanning programme for the books. The move from picture books being was instigated, the standards and nature of the produced specifically with tourists in mind meta-data of which Sarah carefully talked us coincided with the rise of the railways. While the through. As with all large projects, lessons were title page or front cover might claim that the book learned and Sarah spoke of the complex nature of was published locally to give an air of authenticity, obtaining copyright clearance and of the technical they were often produced by a national firm in intricacies of such a project. The success of this Edinburgh or London. Later technical project in both meeting demand and stimulating developments such as attempting to produce full further demand, and increasing awareness of the colour books using only beige, blue, and purple distributed national heritage makes these lessons did not always work successfully, with some worthwhile. amusing results. Paul summed up by saying that the books were really the precursor to the holiday The meeting closed with a look at some snaps slide show: this is the railway station we topographical items from the Society’s own arrived at, this is the hotel we stayed in, and so on. collection, on display in the Library. After tea, Elizabeth Williamson (Architectural Editor, Victoria County History) showed how the Forthcoming AMARC Meetings VCH has used topographical drawings to show AMARC members will receive full details of settlements and buildings that no longer exist or to meetings separately. In brief, they will be as show how a building altered many times once follows: appeared. Topographical evidence can be used to 7 July, The Library, University of Durham confirm or enhance existing documentary evidence Provenance and Durham’s Collections but it does have its own unique problems: is an (preceded by the AGM) illustration on a map to be taken as a record or as a This meeting is scheduled to occur in the same symbol of the building?; can a drawing be taken as week as the Early Book Society’s conference in an accurate record of re-building or is it more Durham, to make it more convenient for the representative of the owner’s aspirations? These participants of one to also attend the other. The list problems notwithstanding, the great importance of of speakers and their papers is on the AMARC topographical drawings to the VCH’s work was website, and is being mailed to AMARC members illustrated by the example of a map of Essex which on a separate sheet with this Newsletter. is the only evidence of a large house which once stood on a farm. AMARC Newsletter no. 40, May 2003. Page 2 5-6 Jan. 2004, London allocated where they can be expected to provide Manuscripts in London Exhibitions the greatest benefit to the greatest number of To take advantage of opportunities presented by people. Often this will be achieved by making manuscripts appearing in two major concurrent several small awards, rather than a few larger exhibitions in London, the ‘Christmas’ meeting awards. Funding levels may vary from year to will be moved to early January. Details are year, but it is anticipated that the Committee will tentative and subject to revision, but it is planned make awards of not more than £500 each, and of that papers will be presented at the Society of not more than £1000 in total each year.