Manuscripts

Marks in manuscripts

This page, created by Peter Kidd, provides access to images of the marks of ownership of some important book dealers and collectors of manuscripts, and is intended as an aid to identifying the provenance of books whose history is unknown. (Beyond this, it is also hoped that it will encourage cataloguers to record apparently meaningless inscriptions, which may furnish vital evidence to researchers). It is not systematic, but reflects personal interest and especially the availability of images. It also provides access to lists of dispersed MSS that were formerly in important private collections. Although the site concentrates on manuscripts, the same marks probably occur in the printed books of these collectors and dealers.

Carolingian manuscripts of the Bibliothèque municipale de Lyon

A collection of 55 manuscripts assembled during the 9th century around the cathedral school by the Carolingian bishops of Lyon and one of their librarians, the deacon Florus Lugdunensis. It is estimated that the Cathedral Library had a collection of around 600 manuscripts during the Carolingian period. Besides the 55 manuscripts preserved in Lyon, about fifty more have been identified as originating from the Lyon Carolingian library, around France and Europe.

In addition to the digitized Carolingian manuscripts on its website, the Bibliothèque municipale de Lyon plans to re-assemble online the other surviving manuscripts housed elsewhere, through links, descriptions or any other available information.