When we think of recording history our thoughts first go to papyrus, vellum, and cotton paper. Items that most collectors desire. But along with these forms, men and women have desired to record his or her existence. Runes are the characters in several Germanic alphabets that were used in northern [...]
Richard Hakluyt (1553-1616) Richard Hakluyt is familiar to every student of American History. He was an English geographer. His many writings, and his persistent promotion of Elizabethan overseas expansion encouraged England to explore and colonize North America. Color version of Abraham Ortelius’ Typus Orbis Terrarum, a map inserted into [...]
Holiday Leftovers, and a toast to 75 years of the Manuscript Society We’ll open it up to a virtual gathering of friends and lively discussions. Get your camera & mic ready (if you wish) – We’ll ALL be live! Ask questions about collecting Share a short collecting story Discuss what’s new [...]
It is 1547 and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V sends to his ambassador at the French royal court - a man called Jean de Saint-Mauris - one of many letters. Once decoded it gives insight into the preoccupations of Europe's rulers at a time of dangerous instability caused by [...]
Let the Buyer Beware: In the world of collecting, one challenge is authenticity. Is the item what it purports to be? Caveat emptor is a Latin phrase that translates to "let the buyer beware." It means that an individual buys at their own risk. Potential buyers are warned by the [...]