As I was working through one of Archbishop William Scheves’ collected volumes of incunabula, I came across one of his wonderful manicula (or fist, or index finger, or pointing hand). This volume is a collection of 15th century Netherlandish imprints, and this particular manicula was found in the margin of Saint Bernardino da Siena’s De duodecim periculis quae superveniunt peccatoribus in ultimo fine (Antwerp: Mathias van der Goes, ca. 1487-90). I love the detail and time that went into this lovely hand and sleeve!
–DG
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I love this book! It is the one I like to use as a representative rare book when I’m teaching – it has so many features to point out to students – the manicula, the annotations, Scheves’s wonderful signature, the binding, the previous owner etc. etc.! So glad it’s properly catalogued now, Daryl!
Good grief, 3 years of my life on mediaeval music mss, 30 years ago, and nobody told me that’s what the pointing hand was called! Thank you!
Hi Karen, Bill Sherman wrote a great book a few years back on marginalia and book use (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Used-Books-Marking-Renaissance-Material/dp/0812220846/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324473546&sr=8-1) where the term was used throughout, although professionally I still think no one can agree on just what to call pointy hands!
I have seen a few hands like this (okey, not so beautiful…) and I did’t knew it’s name: ‘manicula’.
Thanks!
Wiliam Fouler’s in Werner von Rolewinck are pretty good too …
Thank you for pointing out one of “Scheves’ sleeves”!
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