Welcome to The Manuscript Society

The Mission of the Manuscript Society is to encourage the collection and preservation of manuscripts and documents; to stimulate and aid collectors in their various collecting specialties; to facilitate the exchange of information and knowledge among collectors, scholars, dealers and the general public; and to promote the highest professional and ethical standards.

Featured

Manuscript Mondays featured image.

Manuscript Mondays

The Manuscript Society is hosting monthly webinars on topics for collectors.  Each hour long webinar provides an opportunity to peek behind the scenes of valuations, writing & publishing, purchasing/selling, auctions and more.

Exterior of the Chicago Museum.

2027 Annual Meeting – Chicago!

Plans are underway for The Manuscript Society’s 2027 Annual Meeting in Chicago!

SAVE THE DATES:  📅 May 12–16, 2027

Join us in the Windy City for another memorable gathering of Manuscript Society members. We’re planning special behind-the-scenes visits and exclusive access just for our members.

Stay tuned for more details—we can’t wait to see you in Chicago!

Manuscript with pen on a piece of paper

Maass Research Scholarship

The Manuscript Society is awarding $10,000 for the 2027 Richard Maass Research Grant.

Are you a graduate student whose research uses original manuscripts? Now is the time to apply. The full $10,000 award goes to one student to help cover expenses directly related to their research—including travel, lodging, meals, document reproduction, and more.

Apply now and put $10,000 toward your research.

Latest Digest

Digest: July-August, 2023

Manuscript Digest:  July – August 2023 – This complimentary e-digest, now published bi-monthly, covers significant acquisitions and sales, manuscripts lost and found, rare books and ephemera, document conservation, and more news in this digest […]

August 1, 2023|

Recent Posts

Cejas Donates Cuban Manuscript Collection

University of Miami Announces Donation of pre-republic Cuban manuscripts, documents and books Book from the Cejas Cuban Collection donated to University of Miami Paul Cejas, alumnus, has donated a treasure trove of materials to the University of Miami Libraries’ Cuban Heritage Collection.  According to Elizabeth “Liz” Cerejido, Esperanza [...]

December 15, 2021|

2022 Maass Grant Application Window Is Open

As archives and repositories again open their doors, the Manuscript Society is about to open its window for 2022 Maass Research Grant applications. Our $5,000 grant supports research using original sources. Who can Apply Applicants must be graduate students—doctoral candidates are given preference—at an institution that currently belongs to the [...]

October 29, 2021|

Society Board of Trustees: Class of 2024

Below is the list of society members who have committed to service on the Board of Trustees for the next three years. Two are brand new and three have taken on a second term. We thank them all for their commitment to the society. The 2024 Class of Trustees of [...]

July 6, 2021|

American Antiquarian Society – Virtual Visit

AAS founder Isaiah Thomas's original indenture as a "poor child" age 7 to printer Zechariah Fowle Virtual Visit American Antiquarian Society Worcester, Massachusetts • www.americanantiquarian.org Come along for a virtual visit to the American Antiquarian Society. During the Manuscript Society’s 2019 annual meeting, Curator of Manuscripts Ashley Cataldo [...]

June 23, 2021|

Stuart Embury – Haitian Presidential Material

Document signed by Jean-Pierre Boyer, president of Haiti from 1818 to 1843 Haitian Presidential Material Stuart Embury, MD My Passion One of my passions in life is medical volunteer work in Haiti. I have gone to Haiti each of the last 40 years, leading teams of volunteers. Along [...]

June 22, 2021|

Interview: Road Trip – Indiana Historical Society

Road Trip: Indiana Historical Society Allen Ottens Perhaps as you’re reading this piece, you can hear some familiar tune faintly in the background. Maybe it’s the beguiling strains of “Begin the Beguine” or the rousing “Blow, Gabriel, Blow.” Whichever it is, it’s likely coming from the Cole Porter Room in [...]

May 21, 2021|

How to Weed Your Attic: Is it History or Junk

How to Weed Your Attic Elizabeth H. Dow At the closing dinner of the Manuscript Society’s most recent annual meeting, trustee Elizabeth H. Dow gave us a capsule version of her latest book, How to Weed Your Attic: Getting Rid of Junk without Destroying History, coauthored with Lucinda P. Cockrell. [...]

May 19, 2021|
Follow us
Advertisers
Go to Top