The post “Voynich Manuscript” is One of the Most Mysterious Books in the World appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>Voynich Manuscript, named after rare book dealer Wilfrid Voynich, who acquired it in 1912, contains 240 pages. The pages are filled with text, written from left to right in an unknown writing system, and illustrations of astronomical symbols, shapes, and fictional plants.
The carbon-dating test estimated that the Voynich Manuscript was originally written in the early 15th century. The first known owner of the book is Czech alchemist Georg Baresch, who owned it in the 17th century. Baresch was the first one who tried to decipher the contents of the book. The book changed hands multiple times before being acquired by Voynich.
Following Voynich’s death in 1930, the book was in the possession of his widow, Ethel, for 30 years before she left it to her friend Anne Nill. One year later, Nill sold the book to antique book dealer Hans P. Kraus. After Kraus failed to find a buyer for the Voynich Manuscript, he donated it to Yale University in 1969.
Numerous scholars and cryptographers tried to decipher the contents of the Voynich Manuscript but failed. There are many theories about the book’s contents, the most popular one being that it is a medical book. Other theories include that the book is an attempt to create an artificial language and that it is simply a hoax and was purposely created to confuse people.
The post “Voynich Manuscript” is One of the Most Mysterious Books in the World appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post Robert Burns’ Rare Book of Poems Goes on Display, Was Once Used to Clean Razors appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>Scottish museum Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries recently put on display the first edition of Burns’ debut book of poems, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. This particular book is notable not only for its rarity but also for the story that follows it.
The copy of the book was discovered by accident by one British merchant John Murison. Back in the late 19th century, Murison found himself in a small barbershop when he noticed a copy of Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect on the counter. The barber was tearing the pages from the book to clean his razors.
Being a Burns enthusiast, Murison knew how valuable the book was and decided to rescue it. He bought it from the barber and kept it in his expansive private collection of Burns’ works. The collection, which has over 1700 books and ephemera, was later gifted to Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries.
The rescued book has three first three poems missing, while only a page and a half remains of the fourth poem.
Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, was originally released in 1786. Only 612 copies were printed, and the run was sold out in less than a month. It is estimated that 84 copies have survived to date.
The post Robert Burns’ Rare Book of Poems Goes on Display, Was Once Used to Clean Razors appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post Robert Burns’ Rare Book of Poems Goes on Display, Was Once Used to Clean Razors appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>Scottish museum Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries recently put on display the first edition of Burns’ debut book of poems, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. This particular book is notable not only for its rarity but also for the story that follows it.
The copy of the book was discovered by accident by one British merchant John Murison. Back in the late 19th century, Murison found himself in a small barbershop when he noticed a copy of Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect on the counter. The barber was tearing the pages from the book to clean his razors.
Being a Burns enthusiast, Murison knew how valuable the book was and decided to rescue it. He bought it from the barber and kept it in his expansive private collection of Burns’ works. The collection, which has over 1700 books and ephemera, was later gifted to Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries.
The rescued book has three first three poems missing, while only a page and a half remains of the fourth poem.
Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, was originally released in 1786. Only 612 copies were printed, and the run was sold out in less than a month. It is estimated that 84 copies have survived to date.
The post Robert Burns’ Rare Book of Poems Goes on Display, Was Once Used to Clean Razors appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post “Voynich Manuscript” is One of the Most Mysterious Books in the World appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>Voynich Manuscript, named after rare book dealer Wilfrid Voynich, who acquired it in 1912, contains 240 pages. The pages are filled with text, written from left to right in an unknown writing system, and illustrations of astronomical symbols, shapes, and fictional plants.
The carbon-dating test estimated that the Voynich Manuscript was originally written in the early 15th century. The first known owner of the book is Czech alchemist Georg Baresch, who owned it in the 17th century. Baresch was the first one who tried to decipher the contents of the book. The book changed hands multiple times before being acquired by Voynich.
Following Voynich’s death in 1930, the book was in the possession of his widow, Ethel, for 30 years before she left it to her friend Anne Nill. One year later, Nill sold the book to antique book dealer Hans P. Kraus. After Kraus failed to find a buyer for the Voynich Manuscript, he donated it to Yale University in 1969.
Numerous scholars and cryptographers tried to decipher the contents of the Voynich Manuscript but failed. There are many theories about the book’s contents, the most popular one being that it is a medical book. Other theories include that the book is an attempt to create an artificial language and that it is simply a hoax and was purposely created to confuse people.
The post “Voynich Manuscript” is One of the Most Mysterious Books in the World appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post Robert Burns’ Rare Book of Poems Goes on Display, Was Once Used to Clean Razors appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>Scottish museum Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries recently put on display the first edition of Burns’ debut book of poems, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. This particular book is notable not only for its rarity but also for the story that follows it.
The copy of the book was discovered by accident by one British merchant John Murison. Back in the late 19th century, Murison found himself in a small barbershop when he noticed a copy of Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect on the counter. The barber was tearing the pages from the book to clean his razors.
Being a Burns enthusiast, Murison knew how valuable the book was and decided to rescue it. He bought it from the barber and kept it in his expansive private collection of Burns’ works. The collection, which has over 1700 books and ephemera, was later gifted to Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries.
The rescued book has three first three poems missing, while only a page and a half remains of the fourth poem.
Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, was originally released in 1786. Only 612 copies were printed, and the run was sold out in less than a month. It is estimated that 84 copies have survived to date.
The post Robert Burns’ Rare Book of Poems Goes on Display, Was Once Used to Clean Razors appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>The post Robert Burns’ Rare Book of Poems Goes on Display, Was Once Used to Clean Razors appeared first on History Chronicle.
]]>Scottish museum Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries recently put on display the first edition of Burns’ debut book of poems, Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect. This particular book is notable not only for its rarity but also for the story that follows it.
The copy of the book was discovered by accident by one British merchant John Murison. Back in the late 19th century, Murison found himself in a small barbershop when he noticed a copy of Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect on the counter. The barber was tearing the pages from the book to clean his razors.
Being a Burns enthusiast, Murison knew how valuable the book was and decided to rescue it. He bought it from the barber and kept it in his expansive private collection of Burns’ works. The collection, which has over 1700 books and ephemera, was later gifted to Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries.
The rescued book has three first three poems missing, while only a page and a half remains of the fourth poem.
Poems, Chiefly in the Scottish Dialect, was originally released in 1786. Only 612 copies were printed, and the run was sold out in less than a month. It is estimated that 84 copies have survived to date.
The post Robert Burns’ Rare Book of Poems Goes on Display, Was Once Used to Clean Razors appeared first on History Chronicle.
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