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Writing book, with four sets of alphabets

Manuscript
1540s-1560s (made)
Place of origin
England (made)

This writing book contains several ornamental alphabets, mainly copied from printed sources. The source of the two first sets of these alphabet drawings in pen and ink can be identified as engraved alphabets by the so-called Banderoles Master of 1464 (ff. 3r-6v), and by Noel Garnier, of c. 1542 (ff. 7r-19v). It seems that the reproductions were made to the same size as their models. The manuscript may have been compiled over a long period of time, as the dates 1542, 1554 and 1567 can be found on different pages.

Object details

Categories
Medieval and Renaissance
Calligraphy
Manuscripts
Object type
Manuscript
TitleWriting book, with four sets of alphabets (popular title)
Materials and techniques
Parchment
Ink
Leather
Wood
Writing
Drawing
Calligraphy
Binding
Blind Tooling
Brief description
Manuscript, Writing book, with four sets of alphabets, England, 1540s (after 1542)-1560s (after 1567).
Physical description
Manuscript containing four sets of alphabets, including those after the so-called 'Banderoles Master' and Noel Garnier. Inhabited initials with human figures, animals, and interlace, drawn in ink.

Foliation: parchment. i (20th-century parchment) + 23 (ff. 3-19, 21-24, 27-28) + ii (20th-century parchment) ff.

Language: English.

Script: written in a variety of Secretary scripts and Court hands.

Binding: 16th century, England. Calf over wooden boards, tooled in blind, outer frame with roll-stamp of rosette pattern; sewn (resewn) on five double cords; metal fittings for two clasps on fore-edge hinged on lower cover, five small metal bosses on upper and lower covers.
Repaired and resewn by Roger Powell in 1982.
Dimensions
  • Leaves height: 290mm
  • Leaves width: 210mm
Production typeUnique
Object history
Written in England in the 1540s (the date 1542 is part of the initial on f. 14r); texts on ff. 23v-24r, dated 1554 and 1567, may have been added later.
Acquired by the National Art Library in 1937.
Summary
This writing book contains several ornamental alphabets, mainly copied from printed sources. The source of the two first sets of these alphabet drawings in pen and ink can be identified as engraved alphabets by the so-called Banderoles Master of 1464 (ff. 3r-6v), and by Noel Garnier, of c. 1542 (ff. 7r-19v). It seems that the reproductions were made to the same size as their models. The manuscript may have been compiled over a long period of time, as the dates 1542, 1554 and 1567 can be found on different pages.
Bibliographic references
  • Whalley, J.I., English handwriting, 1540-1853: an illustrated survey based on material in the National Art Library, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1969. nos. 1-4.
  • Whalley, J.I. and V.Kaden (eds.). The universal penman. A survey of western calligraphy from the Roman period to 1980. London: 1980. p. 48, no. 80.
  • Whalley, J.I.The pen's excellencie. Calligraphy of western Europe and America. Tunbridge Wells: 1980. pp. 90, 92-93.
  • Watson, R. Western Illuminated Manuscripts.Victoria and Albert Museum. A catalogue of works in the National Art Library from the eleventh to the early twentieth century, with a complete account of the George Reid Collection. London, 2011. Vol. 2, no. 149.
Other number
KRP.E.27 - NAL Pressmark
Collection
National Art Library
Library number
MSL/1937/2090

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Record createdNovember 23, 2020
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1548229/writing-book-with-four-sets-manuscript/
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