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Using Special Collections: Convivium

This research guide was built to help students use the special collections in the Fleet Special Collections Center in the J. Spencer & Patricia Standish Library at Siena College

Manuscripts, Leaves & Original Documents

  1. Torah (Hebrew) - Original leaf on extremely heavy vellum, circa 16th century.
  2. Koran (Arabic) - Handwritten large manuscript leaf of fine quality. Imposing example from Persia circa 1553-1558.
  3. Antiphoner or Choir Missal (Latin) - Circa Spain 1650. This leaf is on extremely heavy vellum. Text is in rounded Gothic hand. The six lines of music and verse are on a stave formed of five lines.
  4. Breviary (German) - Leaf from 15th century northern German monastery. German Gothic script in black ink on vellum. The first line exhibits a wonderful example of a flourished letter ascender. Text is from St. Bonaventure’s Opera and possibly his sermons.
  5. Book of Hours (Latin) - Leaf dates from France, 1450-1475. Twelve lines of Gothic text in Latin on vellum. Verso has one initial “C” in highly burnished gold on a multicolor ground. Recto has twelve lines of Gothic text with rubricating on the last line.
  6. Summa de Casibus of Bartolomeo da San Concorio 1261-1347 (Latin). Leaf from 1424-1450 Southern Germany or Austria. From encyclopedia of canon law.
  7. Postilla Super Epistolas et Evangelista by William of Paris. Nuremburg: Anton Koberger, 1493.
    Quarto size. Latin text in black letter typed n double columns. Rubrication throughout text and initials, all hand painted in right
    red ink. Original leaf.
  8. King James Bible. London: Robert Barker, 1611. A page from the first edition of the King James Bible.  
  9. Grant by John Baker, # 1536. Dated 1468/70 13 lines black ink on Vellum with seal and translation.
  10. Charter by which William Heyne of Risscheton gives to his son, John, a grange near Rushton. Vellum, dated 1387 England 11 lines of text in brown ink, #257
  11. Papal Bull of Innocent IV. #D1994. Document on Vellum. Rome, 20 June 1244. Church document approving the Breviary of The Friars Minor.
  12. Leaf of a Breviary. Northern France, ca 1400
  13. Norman Charter of Ardenne Abbey, # D129 Document on Vellum, Normandy, vicinity of Caen, Ca. 1200. A charter of Walter deAgnell conveying to Renardus de Villa Tierri, lands which he holds from Ardenne Abbey.
  14. Charter of the Convent of Santa Cruce. Document on Vellum. Italy. 13 March 1409
  15. Leaf from Legal Manuscript, Seville, Spain, 1602. Legal document on vellum related to family lineage. Partly written in Seville, 1602. Completed in Mexico City in 1641. The page contains a large illuminated E and elaborate boarding, with initials in gold leaf.
  16. Letter signed by Ferdinand (Yo el Rey) Madrid. 2 January 1503.
  17. Indenture granting land on vellum with wax seal, English, reign of Henry VIII. Cobhan, Kent, 23 May 1538.
  18. Illuminated Patent of Nobility. Manuscript on vellum. Valladolid. 13 August 1605-1607
    Patent of nobility, issued to Diego Belarde DeAguilar on his own account and on behalf of his brother Juan, reciting the patent granted by Charles V and the services of their father, Rodrigo. Includes a finely-illuminated miniature of the Virgin and a full-page illuminated coat of arms. vellum. 25pgs. folio.
  19. Three Leaves from the Nuremberg Chronicle Printed by Koberger. Nuremberg. 102 July 1493.
    Genuine leaves from the Nuremberg Chronicle the richest illustrated incunable, published in the year Columbus returned to Europe after discovering America. Pages include woodcuts by Michael Wolgemut, the well-known teacher of Albrecht Durer. The Chronicle began with the creation of the world and ends with the events of the 15th century A.D.
  20. Document from the Reign of Elizabeth I. 1581.
    A charter on vellum relating to property in Thiplow, Cambridgeshire, with 2 red wax seals.
  21. Signed Letter on Paper with Fine Paper Seal. Mantua. 13 January 1595. From Vicenzo Gonzaga, Duke of Mantua (1587-1612), patron of Tasso and Rubens, to Signor Baron (Ambassador for the Holy Roman Emperor) extending hospitality.

  22. Papal Indulgence from the reign of Calixtus III, 1455-1458. Manuscript on parchment, 13 in. by 17 in.

  23. Leaf from the first printed translation of the Old Testament in Irish. Translated by William Bedel, Bishop of Kilmore, Ireland.
    Printed in London, 1685.

Rare Books Pre 1700

  1. Grotius, Hugo.
    Historia Gotthorum, Vandalorum, & Langobardorum. Amsterdam: Louis Elzevier, 1655.
  2.  Minsheu, John.
    Hegemon Eis Tas Glossas. Id est Ductor in Linguas. [Guide to the Tongues]. 1617.
  3.  St. Bonaventure
    Opuscolorum Theologicorum. 1611.
  4. Calefatus, Petrus.
    Ennarationes in L. 1564.
  5. Catonis (Cato)
    Methodus Restica. Basil: Petri Perne, 1576.
  6. Newcastle, Margaret Cavendish
    The Life of the Thrice Prince William Cavendishe…
    London: B. Maxwell, 1675.

Reprints and Modern Critical Editions of Medieval and Early Modern Works

  1. Oresme, Nicolle, 1320-1382
    Le Livre du Ciel du Monde. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, c. 1968.
  2. Oresme, Nicolle, 1320-1382
    De Proportionibus Proportionum and Ad Pauca Respicientes. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, c. 1966.
  3. Oresme, Nicolle, 1320-1382
    Tractatus de Commensurabilitate vel Incommensurabilitate Motuum Celi.
    Madison: University of Wisconsin, Press, c. 1971
  4. M’Ezi‘eres, Philippe de, 1327?-1405
    Le Songe du Vieil Pelerin. London: Cambridge University Press, 1969.
  5. The Equatorie of the Planetis: A manuscript
    Treatise ascribed to Chaucer. London:
    Cambridge University Press. c 1955
    Reproduction, translation and description of the
    14th Century manuscript in the Library of Peterhouse,
    Cambridge.
  6. Meiss, Millard
    French Painting in the Time of Jean DeBerry.
    The Boucicaut Master. NY: Phaidon. c. 1968
  7. Meiss, Millard
    French Painting in the Time of Jean DeBerry:
    Late XIV Century and Patronage of the Duke.
    2 vols. NY: Phaidon. c. 1969
  8. Meiss, Millard
    French Painting in the Time of Jean DeBerry: the
    Limbourgs and their Contemporaries. 2 vols.
    NY: Phaidon. 1974
  9. Pare, Ambroise, 1510?-1590
    Apologie and treatise of Ambroise Pare containing
    the voyages made into divers places with many of
    his writings upon surgery.
    London: Falcon Educational Books. C. 1951
    Reprint and translation of a famous late 16th
    Century Surgical Autobiography.

Facsimile Editions

  1. Pannonhalmi. The Book of hours of Pannonhalma. Budapest: Corvina Kiad’o, Helikon Kiado’om, c 1985, c 1982.
  2. Clovio, Giulio, 1498-1578
    The Farnese Hours. NY: Braziller, c 1976. Facsimile of late 15th century manuscript
  3. Book of Hours [Offizum der Madonna]. Zurich: Belser Verlag, c 1984 . Facsimile of late 15th century manuscript.

  4. The Travels of Sir John Mandeville. NY: Braziller, c 1983. Reproduction of manuscript in the British Library.

  5. King Rene’s Book of Love. NY: Braziller, 1975. Copy of 15th century illuminated manuscript.

  6. Cloisters Apocalypse. NY: Metropolitan Museum, 1971. Copy of early 15th century manuscript.

  7. Gutenberg Bible. NY: Brussel & Brussel, 1968. Facsimile in 3 volumes of the famous printed Latin Bible, 1454-55.