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Folger Collections

Can you spot the differences?
Collation

Can you spot the differences?

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Author
Erin Blake

Have a look at the coat of arms worn by Edwin Booth (1833–1893) in the title role of Shakespeare’s King Richard III. Notice something wrong? Richard III tunic worn by Edwin Booth in the 1870s. Hint: The conventions Victorian aesthetics…

"For a cancer in the brest": early modern recipes
Collation

"For a cancer in the brest": early modern recipes

Posted
Author
Nadia Seiler

“For a cancer in the brest” The large penstrokes of this title caught my eye as I was cataloging a recently acquired receipt book (a book of culinary and medicinal recipes). In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we…

What's that smell? Getting personal with historic costumes
Collation

What's that smell? Getting personal with historic costumes

Posted
Author
Caryn Lazzuri

Here Is a Play Fitted is on view through January 12, 2013 The Folger’s current exhibition, Here Is a Play Fitted, takes a broad look at how Shakespeare on the stage has changed over the past 400 years. For a…

Conserving the Cosway Portrait of Shakespeare
Collation

Conserving the Cosway Portrait of Shakespeare

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Author
Dawn Rogala

A guest post by Dawn Rogala Editor’s note: Folger conservators are internationally known for their expertise in book and paper conservation. When it comes to conserving paintings, though, we turn to outside experts like Dawn Rogala of Page Conservation, Inc. Here,…

"Printed at Antwerp the fiue and twenty day of March"
Collation

"Printed at Antwerp the fiue and twenty day of March"

Posted
Author
Goran Proot

This title page shows a strange combination of typographical features and language. Strange, at least, for someone who has seen a lot of title pages printed or published in Antwerp, and probably less so for people who are mainly dealing…

Pirates, hats, herring, and iron pots! The case of Captain Thomas Hubbard
Collation

Pirates, hats, herring, and iron pots! The case of Captain Thomas Hubbard

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Author
Heather Wolfe

When we get to “deposition day” in paleography class, one of the manuscripts that the students usually transcribe is Folger MS L.d.673, in which one John Bartholomew confesses to buying six iron pots, but no hats. Bartholomew states that he…

Exploring Bess of Hardwick's letters
Collation

Exploring Bess of Hardwick's letters

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Author
mdyer

As mentioned in a previous post, several online finding aids for manuscript collections at the Folger now include links to digital images of the documents, providing another avenue of access to both onsite and offsite researchers. Finding aids provide detailed…

A ballet for the Polish prince
Collation

A ballet for the Polish prince

Posted
Author
Goran Proot

In my previous Collation post, I discussed a rare broadside announcing a Jesuit theater performance held in Brussels in September 1624. The Jesuits hoped that Ladislas Sigismund Wasa, who was traveling through Europe, would honor that event with his presence. Whether…

Picture cataloging: new rules for old
Collation

Picture cataloging: new rules for old

Posted
Author
Erin Blake

Ta daaaa! I’m happy to introduce to you Descriptive Cataloging of Rare Materials (Graphics)—DCRM(G) for short—the latest publication in a suite of manuals that provides descriptive cataloging rules for primary source materials in special collections libraries. The official announcement will be made…

Don't try this at home (unless you are a professional brewer)
Collation

Don't try this at home (unless you are a professional brewer)

Posted
Author
Heather Wolfe

Here’s a little transcription exercise for our Crocodile readers: Folger MS V.a.429, fol. 29r. This is the title of a recipe in a book of culinary and medical receipts compiled between approximately 1675 and 1750 by a few generations of…

Bridging past and present
Collation

Bridging past and present

Posted
Author
Sarah Werner

As I hope Collation readers know by now, the Folger is committed to openly accessible resources. Last week provided one example of the exciting results from such a scholarly pooling of knowledge. The story begins with a conference held at the…

"Wherein True Bliss is Buried": A Tragi-Comedy for the Prince of Poland, Brussels 1624
Collation

"Wherein True Bliss is Buried": A Tragi-Comedy for the Prince of Poland, Brussels 1624

Posted
Author
Goran Proot

In the fall of 1960 an auction catalog was delivered to the Acquisitions Department of the Folger Shakespeare Library in which the following small typewritten notice was enclosed: The typewritten note from Sotheby’s The auction catalog was from Sotheby’s and…

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