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A Comparative History of the Literary Draft in Europe
Edited by Olga Beloborodova and Dirk Van Hulle
[Comparative History of Literatures in European Languages XXXV] 2024
► pp. 417–432

2.1.3
Archiving practices

The preservation and loss of autograph English literary manuscripts

The survival or loss of autograph literary manuscripts is considered, particularly in the context of British materials and drawing frequently but not exclusively upon the holdings of the Bodleian Library in Oxford. A chronological approach demonstrates the accruing importance attached to manuscripts written in the hand of their authors by collectors, institutions, scholars, the public and other agents, including funders and legislators. Reference is made to recent developments in the area of joint acquisition and questions are raised about the future of the autograph manuscript in the digital age.
Keywords: archives, autograph, literary, manuscripts, collectors, born-digital, library, culture, heritage
Article outline
  • Introduction
  • Antiquity and the Middle Ages
  • Early modern manuscripts and the rise of antiquarianism
  • The eighteenth century
  • The nineteenth century
  • The twentieth century
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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