The Sphere of the World

This page is a blank flyleaf and contains no written text, inscriptions, or marginalia. Its significance lies in its physical state, which shows the passage of time through minor foxing and light staining. In historical bookbinding, these extra leaves were standard to protect the more valuable inscribed pages from the acidity of the leather covers and environmental dust.

Early European Books, Copyright © 2011 ProQuest LLC. Images reproduced by courtesy of the National Central Library of Florence original: "Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Firenze". Manuscript Shelfmark: Magl. L.6.9

Technical Terms

Foxing: The term used to describe the "freckle-like" brown spots on old paper. It is usually caused by high humidity reacting with either fungal growth or iron impurities present in the paper at the time of manufacture.

Staining: General discoloration of the page. In manuscript studies, this often indicates where the book was handled most frequently or where moisture may have seeped in through the edges of the binding.