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.

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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.

Faneiul Hall in Boston, MA.

2026 Annual Meeting – Boston!

Join us in Boston for the Manuscript Society’s next Annual Meeting, taking place May 27–31, 2026. This year’s meeting coincides with Boston 250, the city’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.

Pictures from the Manuscript annual trip to Oxford & Cambridge.

2025 Cambridge / Oxford Trip Recap

Over several days, Manuscript Society members explored some of the cities’ most storied libraries, museums, and archives—places that hold centuries of history and some of the world’s most extraordinary manuscripts.

Latest Digest

Digest: January – February 2025

Manuscript Digest: January – February 2025 – 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. […]

February 6, 2025|

Recent Posts

Florentine Codex – Aztec Culture – Entirely Digitized

Florentine Codex Disguised Mexica merchants in Tzinacantlan acquiring quetzal feathers in Book 9. (all images courtesy of the Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, Florence, and by permission of MiBACT) In the 16th century, as the Spanish were conquering lands in the “New World,” Bernardino de Sahagún, a Spanish Franciscan friar [...]

November 17, 2023|

Manuscript Mondays: Thanksgiving Leftovers – Open Discussion

Manuscript Mondays Thanksgiving Leftovers:  A Manuscript Society virtual gathering! Monday, December 4, 2023 - 8:00PM Eastern, 5:00PM Pacific Moderator: Brian Kathenes - We’ll chat about our favorite manuscript memories from 2023 - Share a favorite piece from your collection - Ask questions of fellow members - Talk about what’s in [...]

November 14, 2023|

MM On-Demand: Rare Book Collecting with Ken Gloss (11/6/23)

The Inside Scoop on Rare Book Collecting with Ken Gloss Overview Ken will discuss growing up in the book business and show some of his favorite finds while enjoying “the thrill of the hunt.”  He will also share many fascinating anecdotes about private and institutional collecting, as well as guidelines [...]

October 4, 2023|

2024 Maass Research Grant Application Process Now Open

October 1, 2023 - Maass Research Grant Applications are now being accepted! Beginning in the academic 1999-2000 year, The Manuscript Society has provided research scholarships to graduate students who depend heavily on manuscripts for their research. 2024 is no exception. The 2024 research grant worth $5,000.00 assists students with travel, [...]

October 3, 2023|

Camden’s Annals reveal New Light on Elizabeth I

British Library researcher throws new light on Elizabeth I An opening from one of the manuscripts of Camden's Annals ©The British Library Board If you are as student of Tudor-Stuart English history, you will be familiar with the Camden Annals. William Camden’s Annals is a valuable source on [...]

September 21, 2023|

Manuscript Mondays: The Original “Wikipedia” – Siku Quanshu

“The Original Wikipedia:  18th Century Chinese Emperor Qianlong’s Siku Quanshu Project” Free, Live Webinar   CANCELED DUE TO ILLNESS Monday, October 3, 2023 - 8:00 PM Eastern, 5:00PM Pacific (U.S. and Canada) Presenter: Susan Lahey, MA, ISA CAPP Moderator: Brian Kathenes In 1772, Emperor Qianlong of China, a prolific poet, major art patron, and [...]

September 12, 2023|

MM On-Demand: Darwin’s Life in Autographs & Letters (9/4/2023)

Overview Join us for an insider’s look at the fascinating life of Charles Darwin, through the incredible autograph collection of Dr. Barton Smith.  Dr. Smith will share some amazing letters and manuscripts from his extensive Darwin collection. Host: Brian Kathenes Guest: Dr. Barton Smith Original Date: September 4th, 2023 - [...]

September 4, 2023|
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