GB 0103 MS FRAG - Manuscript Fragments

c150 items

The early provenance of the fragments is obscure, but most were removed from the bindings of other manuscripts or early printed books where they had generally been used as pastedowns or outer coverings. The origins of some can be traced to Germany, particularly the music fragments which have distinctive German or Bohemian musical notation. Other fragments have German annotation or relate to German places. A small number of texts such as fragments of works by Justinian are mostly of Italian origin and it has been suggested that they may have been sourced from Bologna, where the university was a centre of legal studies in the medieval period.
GB 0103 MS FRAG 12th century-19th century Collection (fonds) c150 items c150 items

Fragments of medieval and early modern manuscripts on parchment can commonly be found inside the binding of printed works. This method of recycling was a common practice between the medieval period and the 17th century, when manuscripts superseded by printed editions were sold to printers and bookbinders. Medieval manuscripts are often visually appealing and parchment was robust but expensive, so folios from manuscripts were recycled for use as decorative covers and endpapers or to reinforce the binding of new printed works.

The early provenance of the fragments is obscure, but most were removed from the bindings of other manuscripts or early printed books where they had generally been used as pastedowns or outer coverings. The origins of some can be traced to Germany, particularly the music fragments which have distinctive German or Bohemian musical notation. Other fragments have German annotation or relate to German places. A small number of texts such as fragments of works by Justinian are mostly of Italian origin and it has been suggested that they may have been sourced from Bologna, where the university was a centre of legal studies in the medieval period.

Many of the fragments were purchased by Professor Robert Priebsch (Professor of German at University College London, 1898-1931) at a sale in Bonn in [1921] in order to give students practical experience of palaeography. It is not known precisely how many were purchased by him, but a collection of 121 items has been accrued. The item MS/FRAG/LAT/30 was found with a note (in German) about a collection of manuscript fragments which were bought in 1922 and accessioned as no.23174, which may be Priebsch's original purchase. The note describes a palaeographical album containing 35 fragments in Spanish, Old French, Latin and German, some with musical notation.

Kathryn Kendall carried out a study of 18 legal and didactic fragments in the late 20th century. In her introduction she suggests that all the MS fragments were purchased at the same time, and may even have come from the same collection. However, she does not provide evidence for this. Some of the fragments are annotated with blue, purple or pencil numbers which may indicate that those with the same number were part of the same auction lot, although this is speculation.

In addition to the group of fragments, around 30 MS deeds and 10 printed fragments were also boxed together. It is not known why these were housed as one collection, but there is a clear division between fragments of manuscripts, many of which are German in origin, and manuscript deeds, most of which originated in France and are intact (i.e. not fragments). The deeds have been catalogued separately, see MS DEEDS, and for the printed fragments see PRINT FRAG.

Fragments of mainly medieval and early modern manuscripts, primarily leaves from liturgical texts including missals, breviaries, psalters, bibles and biblical commentaries, but also including fragments of popular medieval textbooks including the Codex Justinianus and Graecismus . Also includes fragments of medieval music including noted missals, antiphonaries, graduals and noted breviaries. The music section includes fragments from two incunabula.

Arranged according to language, with a separate section for fragments with musical notation.

Open. The collection has also been digitized and is available online. See UCL Digital Collections http://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/digital-collections/collections/msfrag

Photocopies/photographs/microfilm are supplied for private research only at the Archivist's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds, and that photographs cannot be photocopied in any circumstances. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.
Latin
Greek
Hebrew or Aramaic
French
English
German
Dutch

Item level catalogue available online

UCL Special Collections also holds a small collection of Printed Fragments (9 items) (Ref: PRINT FRAG). A full catalogue is available online.

Source: Kathryn Kendall, 'Fragments of mediaeval text-books in the Library of University College London' (available for consultation at University College London Special Collections), discusses the collection of fragments, particularly the legal and grammatical texts, which are described there. Dorothy K. Coveney, "A Descriptive Catalogue of Manuscripts in the Library of University College, London" (London: University of London, 1935).
Compiled by Rachel Kemsley as part of the RSLP AIM25 project. Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997. Oct 2001; updated May 2018 Bologna Book industry Canon law Civil law Documents Europe Grammar Indo-european languages Information sources Italy Latin Law Legal systems Linguistics Manuscripts Publishing industry Religious doctrines Religious texts Theology University of Bologna Western Europe

Many of the fragments were purchased by Professor Robert Priebsch (Professor of German at University College London, 1898-1931) at a sale in Bonn in [1921] in order to give students practical experience of palaeography. It is not known precisely how many were purchased by him, but a collection of 121 items has been accrued. The item MS/FRAG/LAT/30 was found with a note (in German) about a collection of manuscript fragments which were bought in 1922 and accessioned as no.23174, which may be Priebsch's original purchase. The note describes a palaeographical album containing 35 fragments in Spanish, Old French, Latin and German, some with musical notation.

Kathryn Kendall carried out a study of 18 legal and didactic fragments in the late 20th century. In her introduction she suggests that all the MS fragments were purchased at the same time, and may even have come from the same collection. However, she does not provide evidence for this. Some of the fragments are annotated with blue, purple or pencil numbers which may indicate that those with the same number were part of the same auction lot, although this is speculation.

In addition to the group of fragments, around 30 MS deeds and 10 printed fragments were also boxed together. It is not known why these were housed as one collection, but there is a clear division between fragments of manuscripts, many of which are German in origin, and manuscript deeds, most of which originated in France and are intact (i.e. not fragments). The deeds have been catalogued separately, see MS DEEDS, and for the printed fragments see PRINT FRAG.

Fragments of mainly medieval and early modern manuscripts, primarily leaves from liturgical texts including missals, breviaries, psalters, bibles and biblical commentaries, but also including fragments of popular medieval textbooks including the Codex Justinianus and Graecismus . Also includes fragments of medieval music including noted missals, antiphonaries, graduals and noted breviaries. The music section includes fragments from two incunabula.

Arranged according to language, with a separate section for fragments with musical notation.

Open. The collection has also been digitized and is available online. See UCL Digital Collections http://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/digital-collections/collections/msfrag

Photocopies/photographs/microfilm are supplied for private research only at the Archivist's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds, and that photographs cannot be photocopied in any circumstances. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.

• English

• Latin

Latin
Greek
Hebrew or Aramaic
French
English
German
Dutch

UCL Special Collections also holds a small collection of Printed Fragments (9 items) (Ref: PRINT FRAG). A full catalogue is available online.

Item level catalogue available online

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

• English