Collection inventory

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Manuscript Waste Fragments

An inventory of the collection at Syracuse University

Finding aid created by: MRC
Date: 13 Mar 2024

Revision history:

Biographical History

The phrase "manuscript waste" refers to scraps of discarded handwritten medieval books which. in the early days of printed books, were often re-used by bookbinders in the binding of new books . According to the Library of Congress website, "[M]anuscript waste was commonly used on the interior of book bindings as spine linings or fly leaves in Gothic style and later bindings. Eventually binders began to use manuscript waste on the exterior, covering books in vellum taken from dismembered texts."

Christopher de Hamel writes, in his History of Illuminated Manuscripts (Boston, 1896), writes:

It is a paradox that, because of the obsolescence of service-books, many liturgical fragments now survive. A Breviary goes out of date quickly: as new festivals are introduced and liturgical practices are modified, the old book is discarded. Pages can work loose and ten to fall out of manuscripts handled frequently, and the whole volume becomes unusable and is laid aside. The Reformation caused the disposal of vast numbers of obsolete Romish service-books. Because of wear and tear to which liturgical books are subjects, they had usually been written on vellum rather than on paper, and discarded sheets of second-hand vellum were always useful. Leaves from medieval service-books were reused as flyleaves and to strengthen the sewing in sixteenth-century bookbindings, and as folders for documents, for patching windows, lining walls, covering jam jars and other domestic uses, and single leaves from medieval Missals, Breviaries and liturgical manuscripts are really quite common. (p. 186)

Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Manuscript Waste Fragments consists of three samples of manuscript waste, recovered from the bindings of other books. Two are single leaves; the third consists of two bifolia (two sheets of paper folded together so as to make four leaves) glued together. All three originate from western Europe. Each is accompanied by a full and detailed description.

Arrangement of the Collection

No particular order.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

The majority of our archival and manuscript collections are housed offsite and require advance notice for retrieval. Researchers are encouraged to contact us in advance concerning the collection material they wish to access for their research.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from SCRC and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Related Material

See also the Estrangelo Syriac Manuscript, whose binding is comprised of manuscript waste.

Subject Headings

Subjects

Bookbinding -- History.
Bookbinding -- Specimens.
Manuscripts, Latin (Medieval and modern)
Manuscripts, Medieval.

Genres and Forms

Leaves (gathered matter)

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

Manuscript Waste Fragments,
Special Collections Research Center,
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Purchase, 2024.

Table of Contents

Leaves

Inventory