Private Libraries Privately Made

A rare insight into the construction of private medieval manuscripts reveals that books from the 1240s, likely produced at Amiens Cathedral's chancery, were assembled by incorporating older texts or quires and appending new ones. This method of book-making involved at least fifteen scribes, some of whom also created pen-flourished initials, demonstrating a collaborative effort in manuscript production. The study identifies similar practices in other notable libraries, such as those of Henry the Liberal (d. 1181) and Bernard de Castenet (d. 1317), highlighting the reuse and interpolation of older materials to create new philosophical works, many of which were translations from Arabic.

Stirnemann, P. (2011). Private Libraries Privately Made. Medieval Manuscripts, Their Makers and Users, 185–198. https://doi.org/10.1484/m.stpmsbh-eb.1.100065