The Library has recently received funding to create electronic records for the Library collections. ( A
press release can be viewed on the Library website). I have been gathering information for the project on the status of electronic records in the Rare books & Special Collections in the State Reference Library. The question is not just if there is an electronic record but is the electronic record good enough? Is it only an interim record created to record the existence of an item or does it provide a useful access point to the collection? Does it have a subject heading, a physical description or any provenance information? Many of the electronic records that do exist for our rare printed collections are only interim records.
This week I discovered that the Richardson collection holds a rare early herbal printed in England in 1527. I found it as I trawled through a long list of items that were only identified through a Richardson call number search. If you were looking for a herbal you wouldn't find it through any keyword search! The record for
RICHARDSON/B282 is brief ! Herbals were important in medieval times as they described the appearance, medicinal properties, and other characteristics of common plants.
The Vertuose boke of dystyllacyon of the waters of all maner of herbes with the fygures of the styllatoryes ... is a translation by Laurence Andrewes of
Liber de arte distillandi de simplicibus, first published at Strassburg in 1500. It describes the method of distilling herbs, in order to make use of their medicinal properties or virtues. The numerous woodcut illustrations include pictures of stills and distilling equipment as well as numerous illustrations of plants and flowers known for their medicinal properties.
On the trail of a perfect example of an "interim" record I headed to stack. There it was hidden in the depths of a lovely blue cardboard box not known for it's acid free qualities. Even better the
Vertuose boke was still wrapped in the brown paper wrapper in which Henry Richardson received the item from the bookseller in 1922!
Henry Richardson was an Englishman who had an extensive collection of early bibles, printed works and manuscripts. During the First World War Australian troops were stationed on his property in Weymouth, Dorset. He entertained the army chaplain and many of the officers. As an expression of his gratitude for the support from Australia during the war he decided to donate his collection to a suitable institution in Australia. The Public Library of New South Wales received the bulk of his collection in 1926. Although the agreement with the Library was made in 1919 Richardson continued to collect rare and valuable items up until 1924 knowing that they were being purchased not just for his benefit but for Australia!
Anyway, here is the 1527 herbal without a binding or title page, wrapped in a lovely acid-full brown paper wrapping. You can still read the personal notes written by Richardson and the bookseller's catalogue entry.
'The Remnant Trust is a public educational foundation that shares an actively growing collection of original and 1st edition works dealing with the topics of liberty and dignity with some pieces dating as early as 1250. The Trust makes this collection available to colleges, universities, and other organizations for use by students, faculty, scholars and the general public. Those exposed are encouraged to touch, feel and read the originals.'
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