Paper Stocks in Western Medieval Manuscripts : Paper stock

Paper Stocks in Western Medieval Manuscripts

<p style='text-align: justify;'>A fragment of a copy of the year book for 22 Henry VI (1443-4), from the library of Anthony Gell (d. 1583), of Hopton Hall, Derbyshire, and bencher of the Inner Temple, (CELM, pp. 645-6).</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>A mixed-media quire made up of paper with two parchment stubs in the inner opening. (The manuscript includes two foliations: one counting the remnants of paper folios which have since been ripped out of the book, running ff. 1-73, and another beginning at the first intact folio as ‘f. 45’ and ending at f. 95. We include both foliations for clarity.) Each intact folio measures about 305 mm in height x 220 mm in width, and the sheets are folded in folio. This suggests that the original sheets had dimensions ranging between 300-315 mm in height x 420-460 mm in width, a format of paper known as Chancery, which was the most common size of paper in medieval England. The range of measurements depends on the precise dimensions of the original sheets before folding and the trimming of the folio before binding.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>The paper stock is marked by a hand surmounted by a six-petal flower. Similar, though not identical, instances of this paper stock are attested on the <a target='_blank' class='externalLink' href='https://memoryofpaper.eu/BernsteinPortal/appl_start.disp#'>Bernstein Project</a> from 1475 to 1500.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>These images have been produced through MSI in order to capture physical details of the item.</p><p style='text-align: justify;'>Orietta Da Rold and Logan Rivers</p>