Collectors and Readers
Manuscripts in Czech Libraries of the Rudolfine Period
By (author) Lenka Veselá By (author) Jindřich Marek
Hardback (Forthcoming)
(May 2026)
ISBN: 9782503617985
Price: $119.00
On back order
“Collectors and Readers” uncovers the overlooked yet vital role of manuscripts in Czech libraries during the Rudolfine era, examining how these cherished texts shaped intellectual pursuits, social status, and cultural identity in early modern Central Europe, and offering fresh perspectives on the enduring importance of handwritten works in an age of increasing print production.
Collectors and Readers: Manuscripts in Czech Libraries of the Rudolfine Period explores the often-overlooked role of manuscripts during a time of media transition. Focusing on the reign of Emperor Rudolf II, this study examines eight personal libraries from various social backgrounds, from royalty to wealthy citizens. Authors Lenka Veselá and Jindřich Marek, building on existing scholarship in early modern book history, investigate the continued importance of manuscripts in an era increasingly dominated by print. They consider how these texts functioned not only as sources of knowledge but also as objects of cultural significance and social prestige. By looking at collecting practices, reading habits, and the physical features of manuscripts, the book aims to provide insights into the intellectual world of the Rudolfine period. It explores the relationship between manuscripts and printed books, offering a perspective on the cultural and social aspects of book collecting. “Collectors and Readers” seeks to contribute to our understanding of early modern book history by reassessing the place of manuscripts in the changing media landscape of 16th and 17th century Central Europe. It may be of interest to scholars and readers curious about the enduring influence of manuscript culture.
- By (author) Lenka Veselá
- By (author) Jindřich Marek
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‘Change’ in Medieval and Renaissance Scripts and Manuscripts
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The Antiquarian Book-trade in Switzerland
Sir Thomas Phillipps's Acquisitions in the 1820s and their Later Dispersal
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Comment le Livre s’est fait livre. La fabrication des manuscrits bibliques (IVe-XVe siecle)
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Volume 40
Uses and Reuses of Medieval Manuscript Books / Usi e riusi del libro manoscritto nel Medio
Southern Italy. Latin Manuscripts / Italia meridionale. Manoscritti latini
Volume 71
The Rise of Vernacular Writing. The Palaeographical Perspective
Proceedings of the 21st Colloquium of the Comité international de paléographie latine. Firenze (1921 February 2020)
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Scribes and the Presentation of Texts (from Antiquity to c. 1550)
Proceedings of the 20th Colloquium of the Comite international de paleographie latine
Volume 65
Medieval Autograph Manuscripts
Proceedings of the XVIIth Colloquium of the Comite International de Paleographie Latine, held in Ljubljana, 7-10 September 2010
Volume 36
Les folios introductifs de l’Antiphonaire de Leon (Archivo de la Catedral de Leon, ms. 8, fol. 1-27)
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Volume 66
Le gout de la bibliophilie nationale
La collection de livres rares et precieux des ducs d'Arenberg a Bruxelles, XIXe-XXe siecles
Volume 61
Un temoin de la production du livre universitaire dans la France du XIIIe siecle
la collection des Decretales de Gregoire IX
Volume 35
