Earlier this week, I was privileged to be invited to a press event for the much-delayed-by-Covid new exhibition at the Bodleian Library. ‘Sensational Books’ is all about the sensory experience that books give us and how to engage all the sense while reading. I reviewed the exhibition yesterday at Shiny New Books – so do pop over to see my post there, but there was so much in the exhibition that was photo-worthy I’m sharing some more here below.
We also got taken behind the scenes, visiting the Conservation Workshops where Head of Conservation, Nicole talked to us about their different types of work and the isolation that new additions to the collections go through to ensure that mould and bugs are removed so other works can’t be infected. Then she handed over to conservators Andy and Kirsty who showed us some current projects. The Bodleian Library is interested in the mechanics of writing and printing as well as the book end products, and Andy showed us a (Victorian? – sorry I didn’t write down the date) writing grid set – a sort of precursor to carbon paper, enabling the user to write in the dark if they so wanted. Kirsty showed us the huge sample stacks from Dean’s Rag Books and some pages from these delightful baby books from the early 1900s onwards – being fabric with pinked unfrayable edges, they were durable and washable – leading to the company’s strapline ‘Quite Indestructible’.
It was a super day, and I got to chat at lunch to one of the curators, Professor Emma Smith a Shakespeare Scholar (who has just written a new book about the history of reading called Portable Magic – which is already on my read-soon pile!). A guided tour around the old Bodleian rooms and a peak into Duke Humphrey’s Library (location of the ‘restricted section’ in HP) finished the day. My huge thanks to the Bodleian PR team, Lanisha and Rachel for inviting me.
Meanwhile here are some more of the exhibits you can see at Sensational Books if you’re passing through Oxford – it’s on until early December.
Thank you for the suggestion – I may very well stop by, as I’ll be in Oxford the for the Oxford-Weidenfeld Translation Prize events next Saturday.
We could finally meet up if you have any time spare! I’m only down the road…
Oh, yes, please! Will email
This sounds such a treat. I might have to pop over from Bath to see the exhibition. Not usually keen on the idea of tearing pages out of books but happy to make an exception for the ammonite!
It’s not a physically big exhibition, but full of treats (as well as bookish art). If you ever do come this way during school hol times, do let me know and we could meet up.
That would be lovely. I’ll do that.
What a fantastic experience! I hope you do get to meet up with blogger friends 🙂
It was a varied selection of peeps, I was the only blogger. There was a nice Danish journalist, a chap from a London photo agency, two interns from a London publicity agency and two ladies from Bologna agency. It was arranged a little last minute so a small group – so wonderful to talk at length to the curators. 😁
THis sounds so good Annabel!
This sounds wonderful! I’m just doing some taster courses at the moment in book binding and book conservation so this is perfectly timed 🙂
Ooh that sounds exciting. The Bod offers a short make and bind your own book course, which sounds tempting.
How wonderful to get to do that!
Wonderful! Now you’re making me even sorrier I couldn’t go!!
Sorry!