This post features a few recent acquisitions: first, two examples printed by Simon de Colines (whose press was active in Paris, 1520-1546). Colines likely studied at the University of Paris and worked at the press of Henri Estienne. When Estienne died in 1520, Colines married his widow and assumed management of the press until the oldest Estienne son, Robert, could take over the family business. Colines then set up his own shop nearby and continued to establish his stepsons in the printing trade.

Colines’ “Satyr” pressmark on the title page of an edition of Lucan, 1528.

The 1528 edition of Lucan was the first book printed in Colines’ italic typeface.

Illustrated title page of Bovillus’ Liure singulier & vtile touchant l’art et pratique de geometrie (Colines, 1542).

Next, two new acquisitions from the press of Christophe Plantin (active 1545-1589). French-born Plantin apprenticed as a bookbinder, setting up shop in Paris in 1545. In 1548, he moved the major commercial center of Antwerp, and quickly gained acclaim as a binder. He expanded his business to publishing, printing, and typefounding. Plantin’s books found markets in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Title page to a Dutch-French-Latin dictionary edited and printed by Plantin between 1567 and 1573.

A page spread from Rembert Dodoens’ “Stirpium historiae” printed by Plantin in 1583. This botanical work features extensive woodcuts by Flemish artist Pieter van der Borcht.

Other penny dreadfuls and Gothic/horror novels can be found in the library collections by using the advanced search feature and searching the genre field for the terms “penny dreadful,” “gothic fiction,” “horror fiction,” or “street literature.”

A Narrative of the Life and Travels of Mrs. Nancy Prince (1853). Nancy Gardner Prince was a free-born African-American woman from Massachusetts. She traveled to Russia with her husband, Nero Prince, who worked for several years as a footman at the czar’s court. After returning to the United States, Nancy went on two mission trips to Jamaica. She lectured and published on her travels as well as publishing several editions of this travel narrative.

Another in-depth account of life in Russia is The Englishwoman in Russia: Impressions of the Society and Manners of the Russians at Home (1855). This work, by a pseudonymous “Lady,” has been attributed to Mrs. Andrew Neilson, the wife of an English businessman, but it has also been attributed to Sophia Lane Poole, author of The Englishwoman in Egypt, and to traveler and philanthropist Lady Judith Cohen Montefiore.

A Residence at Sierra Leone (1849) was compiled from the journal and letters of Elizabeth Helen Melville. Elizabeth and her husband Michael Melville lived in Freetown, Sierra Leone for many years while he worked in the British colonial government, including serving as a crown prosecutor fighting the slave trade and as Lieutenant Governor. Elizabeth’s book discusses her husband’s work as well as life and society in 19^th century British West Africa.

Special Collections contains a wealth of travel accounts by 19th century women in books and periodicals. These books and other accounts can be found in the library catalog by using the subject search using geographic place names in combination with the search string “description and travel.”

The 1569 Reina Bible is now available for use in research consultations and class presentations. Its call number is Vault Collection BS 299 1569.

Special Collections and Music Special Collections both contain examples of medieval music manuscripts, including original manuscripts and manuscript leaves and facsimiles of music manuscripts held in other libraries across the world. They can be found by searching the library catalog using the genre terms “Music” and “manuscripts – facsimiles” or “Music” and “manuscripts.” The Cantigas de Santa Maria manuscript is available for research access now; the call number is Vault Collection Folio M 2112 .A4 C3.

Thomasina in her studio with some of her miniature books and fine bindings.

As an undergraduate, Taylor worked as a student employee in L. Tom Perry Special Collections. Her experiences sparked an interest in books which led her to pursue a joint Master’s of Library Science/Master’s of Fine Arts degree in Book Arts at the University of Alabama. Since graduating, she’s returned to Utah, setting up a small studio in Spanish Fork. She enjoys letterpress work and historic bindings. Her work can be found in the library catalog by searching for the name of her press, Ilene Books.

Both texts were recently published in the journal The Walt Whitman Quarterly Review as well as in monograph form, and are now available to researchers in the Walt Whitman Collection at BYU:

• Print copies of WWQR are available at call number WHITMAN PS 3229 .W391
• Life and Adventures of Jack Engle at call number WHITMAN PS 3222 .L54 2017
• Manly Health and Training at call number WHITMAN RA 777.8 .W448 2017