From: owner-scribes@castle.org (scribes digest) To: scribes-digest@castle.org Subject: scribes digest V2 #1799 Reply-To: Sender: owner-scribes@castle.org Errors-To: owner-scribes@castle.org Precedence: bulk scribes digest Friday, September 1 2000 Volume 02 : Number 1799 ======================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with unsubscribe scribes-digets in the body of the message. Leave the subject line blank. Do not include any additional text. [scribes]: Model books? ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Fri, 1 Sep 2000 17:25:51 -0400 From: "Sally Burnell" Subject: [scribes]: Model books? Just before Pennsic, I FINALLY acquired a long desired copy of the Göttingen Model Book. It arrived the day I left for Pennsic, so I've finally had a chance to sit down with it and do some long overdue perusing. On page 12, Lehmann-Haupt says, "The best modern study of model books is R.W. Scheller's 'A Survey of Medieval Model Books' (Harlem 1963). Scheller does not mention GMB (the Göttingen Model Book) in this first edition survey, but he will in the forthcoming second edition. The model books described in the first edition contain mainly human figures, but there are also animals, birds, arhcitectural details and miscellaneous designs, including patterns for manuscript decorations. It should be noted that in the Giovanni de' Grassi sketch book (Scheller no. 21) some foliage resembles the GMB so closely that de' Grassi's work must surely be a direct ancestor of GMB. Through what channels of transmittal its characteristics reappear in GMB is impossible to trace at this point." BTW, in case you did not know, de' Grassi illuminated the first half of "The Visconti Hours". I found mention of his name in this context to be quite fascinating. Anyway, on to my questions: First off, does anyone know when "model books" came into existence and how often they were used? Were they used by specific workshops? Mention of de' Grassi made me wonder if his sketch book was, in essence, a "model book" used by his workshop. I've begun to wonder to myself about Göttingen and if it is a fragment, and whether it was used by a specific workshop in and around the Mainz area, since works out of that area were obviously influenced by it, like the Gutenberg Bible and the Great Mainz Bible, to name a few. Secondly, does anyone know if this Scheller book is available and still in print? Does anyone on this list own a copy? Is it worth hunting for? Apologies for the length - this is what happens when my engine is really turned on by something!!!! You folks have NO idea how elated I am to FINALLY have a coveted and cherished copy of Göttingen!!! I took it to work in the library today and plastic cleared it to protect its dust jacket. It's probably the one book I treasure the most in my vast Scribal library!!! Thanks in advance for any and all help given!! Saradwen =================================================================== To unsubscribe from this list, send email to with a blank Subject: line and unsubscribe scribes in the body of the message. Do not include any additional text in the body. ------------------------------ End of scribes digest V2 #1799 ******************************