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

Stuart Embury – Haitian Presidential Material

In the 1700s, Haiti was known as the “Pearl of the Antilles,” the richest of France’s many colonies. In 1791 the slaves began a series of rebellions spearheaded by the Haitian leader Toussaint L’Ouverture (1743–1803).

Mel Blanc: A Portrait in Manuscripts

2020 marks the 80th anniversary of the debut of Bugs Bunny which led me to reminisce about the voice behind the rabbit – Mel Blanc. The “Man of 1000 Voices” has remained a hero of mine and I was able to acquire items from his estate at various auctions over the years. The earliest is a photo likely from the..

Fridtjof Nansen – Arctic Explorer and More

Fridtjof Nansen (1861-1930) was an Arctic explorer. Also a skiing enthusiast who was a 12-time cross country champion in his native Norway. A scientist who made early discoveries in the field we now call neurobiology.

Latest Digest

411, 2021

Digest : August-September 2021

Manuscript Society2021-11-04T17:43:28+00:00November 4, 2021|

Manuscript Digest – August-September 2021 – 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. […]

Rendell Collection on Forgery to Grolier Club

Manuscript Society2021-04-19T20:04:33+00:00April 20, 2021|

Forging History: The Detection of Forged Historical Manuscripts From The Grolier Club: March 2021, New York The Grolier Club Library is pleased to announce the receipt of a major gift, the Collection on the Detection of Forged Handwriting, which is the most important and comprehensive collection on the [...]

1904, 2021

Resources Available: Auctions, Values, Catalogs

Manuscript Society2021-04-19T19:23:18+00:00April 19, 2021|

Manuscript Society members are always looking for an item to complete a collection. A letter, an image, a photograph, it does not matter. What will be a fair price for the sought after piece? What about the provenance? Where can I find many different catalogs? It has always been a [...]

104, 2021

One Really Bad Egg and a Visit to Calling Cards

Manuscript Society2021-05-17T17:10:58+00:00April 1, 2021|

Book Reviews: It is all about education. Whether you collect books or autographs or both, the educated collector is the savvy collector. Just ask Bill Butts. Every year a stream of reference works, how-tos, exhibition catalogs, bibliographies, and memoirs useful to collectors come on the market. Few receive scant attention [...]

1003, 2021

Handwriting – Something to Celebrate

Manuscript Society2021-03-10T16:42:14+00:00March 10, 2021|

January 23rd - National Handwriting Day Page of Manuscript - In Search of Lost Time - Marcel Proust - 1913 To hand write a letter or send an email. Maybe a text. Perhaps a tweet. How do you stay in contact with your friends and family? The [...]

503, 2021

1795 Epidemic – A Doctor’s Diary

Manuscript Society2021-03-10T16:47:21+00:00March 5, 2021|

Anderson’s record of the 238 yellow fever patients admitted to Bellevue between August and October 1795; 137 of them died. (Alexander Anderson Papers / New-York Historical Society Library) Anderson's Diary Highlights Epidemic "Word of the disease in New York City came “from every quarter.” The place was [...]

403, 2021

17th Century Letterlocking Letters Unlocked

Manuscript Society2021-03-04T18:43:04+00:00March 4, 2021|

Letterlocking Letterlocking used complicated folds to seal correspondence. (Unlocking History Research Group Archive) What do Mary Queen of Scots, Galileo, Marie Antoinette and Niccolò Machiavelli have in common? All practiced letterlocking! Letterlocking used complicated folds to seal correspondence. Virtually hiding correspondence from prying eyes. Sometimes the recipient might [...]

2502, 2021

J.R.R. Tolkien Collection – Interview with Curator

Manuscript Society2021-02-25T17:02:24+00:00February 25, 2021|

Collecting Conversations: An Interview with William Fliss, Archivist of Special Collections and University Archives at Marquette University. Curator, J. R. R. Tolkien collection Kevin Segall William Fliss, Archivist of Special Collections and University Archives at Marquette University. Curator, J. R. R. Tolkien collection J.R.R. Tolkien Collection - Marquette [...]