Dr Sian Witherden

The Radcliffe camera in Oxford as seen from Exeter College

I’ve really enjoyed settling in to my new role as Early Printed Books Cataloguer this week @exeter.ox.ac.uk, there are exciting projects ahead!

Now You See It...Now You DON'T!

Master magician Ricky Jay was a big fan of the Museum of Jurassic Technology, which recently (and briefly) caught on fire! In honor of Ricky and the ephemerality of all good things, here I am showing off the Newberry's 18th c. Blow Book like Ricky once taught me.
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I’m so proud of Sophie for all of her hard work on this amazing project. It has been an absolute pleasure to see this book come into existence, and it was a privilege to read early drafts. The cover reveal is stunning!

Medieval Manuscript Fragments Sian Witherden, Resource Description Librarian ‘Poirot!’ I cried. ‘This is a fragment of a will!’ […] My brain was in a whirl. What was this complication of a will? Who had destroyed it? The person…

If you'd like to read more about the medieval manuscript fragments in the St John's Library collection, check out this blog post by @sianwitherden.bsky.social: stjohnscollegelibraryoxford.org/2022/09/13/m...

This seems to have resonated on here too (I cannot tell you how happy this makes me) so I'll add some of the reasoning:

I asked a lot of friends & family who are not academics (often not readers of non-fiction what they would do if they wanted to know more about a topic they were interested in).

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This is really neat! And here’s a better link: pacscl.org/what-we-do/f...

In 17c Netherlands you could enjoy drinking your cool beer from a ‘book’. Very nice blindstamped boards, raised bands, fore-edge ties. #Rijksmuseum #Bookart

How to collate an early printed book This mini series by Dr Sian Witherden (Rare books and manuscripts specialist) explains how to collate early printed books. These blog posts work through several practical examples from the Bodleian…

I really enjoyed writing this mini-series of blog posts on 'How to collate an early printed book' for
@teachingcodex.bsky.social, who have just migrated to Bluesky. Be sure to give them a follow!

teachingthecodex.com/how-to-colla...

We've brought Teaching the Codex over to Bluesky to celebrate our fantastic new series by @sianwitherden.bsky.social, 'How to collate an early printed book' (yes, we're adopting the new technology of moveable type).

Teaching the Codex Pedagogical Approaches to Palaeography and Codicology

Hello Bluesky! We're an interdisciplinary project on the teaching of palaeography and codicology, and we're now branching out to include early printed books. Check out our website for lots of learning resources: teachingthecodex.com

This was always one of my favourites when I was working at St John’s, it’s great to see it online!

Our next talk! Come along to hear Paul Nash on some of printing's earliest riddling questions.

The Zodiac Man page in a book of hours printed by Wynkyn de Worde (London, 1526). Lambeth Palace Library, [ZZ]1526.2, sig. B1v.

What connects Pisces to the feet? 🐟👣

My new blog post for @lampallib.bsky.social explores Zodiac Men diagrams, focusing on a 16th century printed book of hours currently on display in 'Unfolding Time'. This wonderful exhibition is free and open until May!

monumentoffame.org/2025/04/04/u...

I didn't know this, that's really fascinating!

The letter also mentions Howard Nixon, Edmund Poole, Chatto, and Norah Smallwood.

I thought I’d share this here because I’m sure I can’t be the only one who thinks this is a beautiful snapshot in time!

Bookplate of Rosamund and Elliott Viney

It looks like Viney decided to keep this letter inside his copy, which has a beautiful bookplate: ‘Rosamund & Elliott Viney’.

The verso of a letter from George Painter to Elliott Viney (3 December 1976)

Painter’s words to Viney are poignant: ‘Like Blades you will have prolonged the memory and inspiration of Caxton, and all he stands for, during a century to come.’

The recto of a letter from George Painter to Elliott Viney (3 December 1976)

As it turns out, the copy includes a letter from the author to Elliott Viney, chairman of the Caxton Commemoration Committee (1976). Painter thanks Viney for his kind words on the biography, and in turn congratulates Viney on the work of the Committee.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, and promptly forgot I had even ordered it. So it was a lovely surprise when the doorbell rang this morning...

The title page of George Painter's biography of Caxton (1976)

I recently decided to get a copy of Painter's 1976 biography of Caxton, and I picked this one online because I was intrigued by the seller’s description: 'Includes mss letter from the author'.

A copy of George D. Painter's biography of William Caxton (1976) with the bookplate of Rosamund and Elliott Viney and a letter from the author.

A thread about William Caxton, the quincentenary commemoration (1976), and a nice surprise in the post.

Doing some fascinating research into an early Boleyn family member this week! More on this soon, but suffice to say that there is still so much to learn about the medieval Boleyns 👀

A partially torn page that has been printed on twice in a copy of LOEB's 'Minor Latin poets'

Something I really enjoy is exploring printing errors in early printed books: how they happened, what they can tell us about book production, etc. Today, though, I remembered this delightfully bewildering example in a much more modern book sitting on my shelf...

On International Women's Day, it seems appropriate to remind everyone that there's so much more to learn about Elizabeth Boleyn. I've been overwhelmed by the response to my forthcoming biography on Elizabeth, and I can't wait until I can share my discoveries with everyone! (Image: TNA SP 1/19)

It's wonderful to see Bodleian Library 4° Rawl. 245 available on Digital Bodleian! This 1537 copy of "Institution of a Christian Man" (also referred to as the Bishop's Book) includes annotations by Henry VIII and Thomas Cranmer. You can view it here: digital.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/objects/3e55...

I finally saw the BL exhibition today ☺️ It definitely lived up to the hype! An excellent overview of women from the period, with a nice mix of the voices of prestigious and ordinary women. Highlights were Elizabeth Woodville in the Worshipful Company of Skinners' MS and Joan of Arc's signature 💕

A vertical exhibition sign for the 'Unfolding Time' exhibition at Lambeth Palace Library

An exhibition case at Lambeth Palace Library containing items for the production of medieval books

An exhibition leaflet for 'Unfolding Time' at Lambeth Palace Library, formatted to resemble a concertina-fold almanac

I had a great time last night viewing 'Unfolding Time', the impressive new exhibition at @lampallib.bsky.social curated by Sarah Griffin. I loved the exhibition leaflet, which matches the form of concertina fold almanacs!

Screenshot of an OCLC entry for our Treasures catalogue.

Yay! Last autumn’s ‘Treasures’ catalogue hits OCLC. Thank you University of Heidelberg. We still have copies for anyone who would like it sent. You will also find it on our website.

Artist and page in dialogue. In Merton MS 177 the artist breaks the sequence of straight edges to echo uneven parchment. #manuscripts #illumination