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[eyeballmassage]

i'm thinking about getting a tattoo of one of my favorite middle english poems, but i'd really like to have it reproduced from a manuscript. according to what i can find, it's in MS. Harley 2253, folio 75b - it doesn't seem to be available anywhere online and i know very little about accessing any kind of manuscript so i'm wondering if anyone has

Comments

[eyeballmassage]

failing all that, i'm kind of thinking of picking and choosing my favorite little bits of things like this to make some kind of "ubi sunt" collage - - - are there people who specialize in realistic medieval calligraphy i could pay?

[galingale]

Yes. Quite a few actually. Beyond the professional calligraphers who'll turn up on a websearch, try looking up your local chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism (www.sca.org). You want the "seneschal" (head of the local group) or preferably the "chateleine" (community outreach coordinator).

Calligraphy is a well-represented art form in the group, and some calligraphers do take commissions. I have a few pieces on my wall--some gifts and one commission, and a few stumbling attempts of my own.

[eyeballmassage]

thanks!

[frances_bea]

If you find a manuscript held in a library, you may be able to view the material under supervision within the library. If you're planning a tattoo of this size then it may be worthwhile to travel to the manuscript. Any library sets its own rules, but you could call ahead and make sure that you will be able to view and photograph the text. You would probably not be allowed to photocopy ancient materials.

[frances_bea]

P.S. As an example, the library where I work allows people to view its rare materials under supervision. There have been incidents of people cutting pages out of rare books for profit, so they would keep an eye on you, but would otherwise be happy to let you view these precious materials.

[eefster]

In addition, there is at least one facsimile of Harley 2253 that has been made, which may be easier to find and/or get through inter-library loan. It's from 1963 or so, which means it's still probably not common, but at least it won't be in anybody's rare books collection

[eyeballmassage]

that's a really good point - i always forget how you can only get to a certain level of small detail with tattooing. thanks so much for all your help!

[hobnobofjoy]

This page has links to a few images and a ref to te printed facsimile. The closest image is 76v to give you an idea of hand, although the whole MS is the work of one scribe. You could certainly lift off letters from that although the spacing would be different.

I'm not sure how the BL classes this MS. If it's restricted access you'll need a letter of recommendation from an institution before you're able to view it.

[eyeballmassage]

wonderful - thanks!!