Manuscripts

‘A veritable manifesto for Modern art’: Gauguin's last literary manuscript in private hands arrives at the Courtauld

The 28-page work sees the artist praising the Impressionists and discussing ‘haunting visions’

The oldest Hebrew Bible in existence breaks auction record for a manuscript at Sotheby's

The price for the Codex Sassoon surpassed the sum Bill Gates paid for a Leonardo da Vinci codex in 1994

On eve of the coronation, Sotheby's offers document in which Charles II set out his vision for restoration of the British monarchy

"Transformational" signed 1660 copy of The Declaration of Breda leads mixed-category sale featuring manuscripts, royal portraits, medals and memorabilia

Unknown history of 600-year-old, coded Voynich Manuscript revealed by researcher

Stefan Guzy has scoured archives from the Holy Roman Empire and believes he has traced back the ownership of the mysterious cipher book

Lost star catalogue found hidden on the pages of a medieval manuscript

An excerpt from the work of ancient Greek astronomer Hipparchus had been erased and written over

Stolen Afghan manuscripts have been coming up for sale at major auction houses, according to research group

The Himaya project based in Qatar has been working with Interpol to identify artefacts trafficked to London, Paris and Amsterdam

The Voynich Manuscript’s mysteries endure more than a century after its discovery

Though scientific research has revealed much about the manuscript’s material properties and trajectory, its meaning remains elusive

How partition divided a centuries-old manuscript between India and Pakistan—and continues to plague the region's heritage

Research on the Chandayan of Mulla Da’ud has suffered ever since 24 folios narrating the love story were split up across the border in 1947

Stolen Charles Darwin notebooks worth millions are mysteriously returned to Cambridge library

The two manuscripts were returned in a pink gift bag with a message that read: "Happy Easter X"

Priceless literary manuscripts once thought lost are acquired by British library consortium

The privately owned Honresfield Library, which includes manuscripts by the Brontës, Jane Austen and Walter Scott, was due to be scattered to global buyers at a Sotheby's auction before a British consortium stepped in

Mexico recovers stolen 16th-century manuscripts

The historic works were taken from the National Archives over the years in what its new director calls a “wholesale pillaging”

The write stuff: new analysis on Dead Sea Scrolls sheds light on the scribes behind them

Researchers have used artificial intelligence and other advanced methods to examine the ancient writing

Historic Book of Lismore returns to Ireland from Britain

Medieval vellum manuscript has been donated to University College Cork by Chatsworth, seat of the Dukes of Devonshire

Rediscovered Paul Gauguin manuscript written in his Polynesian hut reveals artist's hidden secrets

Original book with nearly 30 images has been acquired by London's Courtauld Gallery and will go on display next year

Quran quietly sells for record £7m despite questions over its provenance

Manuscript sold at Christie's first live sale in London since the coronavirus lockdown, but academics say its ownership history should be more transparent

Booksnews

Has Yale’s mysterious Voynich Manuscript finally been deciphered?

A German Egyptologist believes he has cracked the code to the enigmatic 15th century illustrated book—but many others have made the same claim in the past and failed

New York's Morgan Library receives ‘transformational’ trove of manuscripts and bindings

Bequest comes from New York collector Jayne Wrightsman, who amassed an 18th-century library to complement her celebrated French furnishings

Crime news

Police arrest man after attempted theft of Magna Carta at Salisbury Cathedral

Incident is a further blow to English city following the novichok poisonings earlier this year

Second tranche of Aristophil's manuscripts collection to be sold in Paris, but will it flood the market?

After a difficult first series of auctions last December, Drouot holds more sales in June to disperse holdings of bankrupt French firm

World's largest collection of manuscripts from bankrupt firm Aristophil to be sold in Paris

Auctioneer Claude Aguttes will sell the collection of historic books and manuscripts across 300 sales over at least six years as part of liquidation

Collectorsarchive

Oslo collector Martin Schøyen sells 60 manuscripts

He blames Norway’s tax system for his decision

Collectorsarchive

The obsessions and follies of the charismatic Joost Ritman

The fate of esoteric books and illuminated manuscripts hangs in the balance

Forgeriesarchive

Early copy of the Gospel of Mark is a forgery

US scholars, conservators and scientists collaborate to prove that a “14th-century manuscript” is a skilled fake

Bill Gates announces there is to be Leonardo for all (those with Vista software)

The billionaire co-founder of Microsoft spoke at the British Library (BL) in January at the glitzy launch of Windows Vista, his company’s new operating system

Sinai monks in historic agreement with British Library over Codex Sinaiticus

Ownership dispute has been set aside for joint study and digitisation of the world’s oldest bible

MoMA PS1archive

News from the US: Museum acquisitions and sales, refurbishment highs and lows, and fabulous manuscript donations

Nine Modern paintings from the MoMA collection go on sale at Christie’s this month - is it to fund the purchase of the Hirsts at Tate?

Iraqarchive

Military personnel unearth secret hoard of Jewish manuscripts belonging to Saddam Hussein in search for weapons of mass destruction

Found in the headquarters of Saddam’s secret police force in Baghdad, the cache has been transferred to Washington for conservation