Item talk:Q18408

“The Schoenberg Database of Manuscripts encompasses more than 80,000 searchable entries of manuscripts written before 1600 and consisting of five or more leaves. This database is intended to be a powerful tool in:

1. Locating and identifying information about particular manuscripts.
2. Establishing the history and provenance of manuscripts.
3. Aggregating descriptive information about specific classes or types of manuscripts.

It includes bibliographic information culled from approximately 4,000 catalogues issued by 400 dealers and auction houses since the early nineteenth century. This data is supplemented by entries from inventories and catalogues of private and institutional libraries. With twenty-nine searchable fields, it provides broad access to manuscripts through a range of discrete descriptive (i.e., vendor, catalogue name or number, item number, price, etc.) and physical (leaves, size, illuminations, etc.) properties. Multiple references to the same manuscript are cross-referenced to facilitate the tracking of individual manuscripts. The database is updated and augmented periodically on an ongoing basis.

The Schoenberg Database is very a much a work in progress, with new material being added regularly from a variety of sources. Mr. Schoenberg envisions this as a community resource and a community project, with new entries being contributed by scholars, collectors, curators, and members of the trade.

In this current version, you can:

* Browse through the entire database sorted by the manuscript date, the catalog date or by dealer.
* View alphabetical lists of Authors, Titles and Sellers.
* Search the database by entering search criteria for one or more fields.

The Database of Manuscript Sales is the property of Lawrence J. Schoenberg. The Penn Library is sponsoring and facilitating access to it.