Collation formula - Revision history

Christof Rolker at 23:05, 6 January 2026

2026-01-06T23:05:52Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:05, 7 January 2026
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	An important part of any manuscript description concerns the question how many quires of what kind the respective codex is composed of, and whether there are any leaves lost or added later. Two systems are used internationally to summarise this information by so-called ~~quire~~ formulas, and both are used on this Wiki.		An important part of any manuscript description concerns the question how many quires of what kind the respective codex is composed of, and whether there are any leaves lost or added later. Two systems are used internationally to summarise this information by so-called collation formulas (''Lagenformel''), and both are used on this Wiki.

	==English system==		==English system==

Christof Rolker: Christof Rolker moved page Quire formula to Collation formula over redirect: Revert

2026-01-06T23:04:33Z

Christof Rolker moved page Quire formula to Collation formula over redirect: Revert

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:04, 7 January 2026
(No difference)

Christof Rolker at 23:02, 6 January 2026

2026-01-06T23:02:24Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:02, 7 January 2026
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	An important part of any manuscript description concerns the question how many quires of what kind the respective codex is composed of, and whether there are any leaves lost or added later. Two systems are used internationally to summarise this information by so-called ~~collation forulas~~, and both are used on this Wiki.		An important part of any manuscript description concerns the question how many quires of what kind the respective codex is composed of, and whether there are any leaves lost or added later. Two systems are used internationally to summarise this information by so-called quire formulas, and both are used on this Wiki.

	==English system==		==English system==

Christof Rolker: Christof Rolker moved page Collation formula to Quire formula

2026-01-06T23:00:53Z

Christof Rolker moved page Collation formula to Quire formula

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:00, 7 January 2026
(No difference)

Christof Rolker: added category

2025-12-28T10:05:48Z

added category

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:05, 28 December 2025
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	N.R. {{author\|Ker}}, [https://digitalker.stanford.edu/01-original-1957-catalogue/ Catalogue of Manuscripts containing Anglo-Saxon] (Oxford 1957) esp. p. xx. - J.-P. {{author\|Gumbert}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/galim_0753-5015_1989_num_14_1_1088 L'unité codicologique, ou : à quoi bon les cahiers ?], Gazette du livre médiéval 14 (1989) pp. 4-8. - Franz M. {{author\|Bischoff}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/scrip_0036-9772_1992_num_46_1_1611 Methoden der Lagenbeschreibung], Scriptorium 46 (1992), pp. 3-27. - Barbara {{author\|Shailor}}, Catalogue of medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University (Binghamton, N.Y., 1984-2004) (the first three volumes are online: [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0001bein vol. 1], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0002bein vol. 2], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie03bein vol. 3]).		N.R. {{author\|Ker}}, [https://digitalker.stanford.edu/01-original-1957-catalogue/ Catalogue of Manuscripts containing Anglo-Saxon] (Oxford 1957) esp. p. xx. - J.-P. {{author\|Gumbert}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/galim_0753-5015_1989_num_14_1_1088 L'unité codicologique, ou : à quoi bon les cahiers ?], Gazette du livre médiéval 14 (1989) pp. 4-8. - Franz M. {{author\|Bischoff}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/scrip_0036-9772_1992_num_46_1_1611 Methoden der Lagenbeschreibung], Scriptorium 46 (1992), pp. 3-27. - Barbara {{author\|Shailor}}, Catalogue of medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University (Binghamton, N.Y., 1984-2004) (the first three volumes are online: [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0001bein vol. 1], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0002bein vol. 2], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie03bein vol. 3]).

	[[Category:Help]]		[[Category:Help page]]

Christof Rolker at 10:05, 28 December 2025

2025-12-28T10:05:14Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:05, 28 December 2025
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	==Literature==		==Literature==
	N.R. {{author\|Ker}}, [https://digitalker.stanford.edu/01-original-1957-catalogue/ Catalogue of Manuscripts containing Anglo-Saxon] (Oxford 1957) esp. p. xx. - J.-P. {{author\|Gumbert}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/galim_0753-5015_1989_num_14_1_1088 L'unité codicologique, ou : à quoi bon les cahiers ?], Gazette du livre médiéval 14 (1989) pp. 4-8. - Franz M. {{author\|Bischoff}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/scrip_0036-9772_1992_num_46_1_1611 Methoden der Lagenbeschreibung], Scriptorium 46 (1992), pp. 3-27. - Barbara {{author\|Shailor}}, Catalogue of medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University (Binghamton, N.Y., 1984-2004) (the first three volumes are online: [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0001bein vol. 1], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0002bein vol. 2], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie03bein vol. 3]).		N.R. {{author\|Ker}}, [https://digitalker.stanford.edu/01-original-1957-catalogue/ Catalogue of Manuscripts containing Anglo-Saxon] (Oxford 1957) esp. p. xx. - J.-P. {{author\|Gumbert}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/galim_0753-5015_1989_num_14_1_1088 L'unité codicologique, ou : à quoi bon les cahiers ?], Gazette du livre médiéval 14 (1989) pp. 4-8. - Franz M. {{author\|Bischoff}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/scrip_0036-9772_1992_num_46_1_1611 Methoden der Lagenbeschreibung], Scriptorium 46 (1992), pp. 3-27. - Barbara {{author\|Shailor}}, Catalogue of medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University (Binghamton, N.Y., 1984-2004) (the first three volumes are online: [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0001bein vol. 1], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0002bein vol. 2], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie03bein vol. 3]).

			[[Category:Help]]

Christof Rolker: Christof Rolker moved page Quire formulas to Collation formula without leaving a redirect

2025-12-28T09:44:03Z

Christof Rolker moved page Quire formulas to Collation formula without leaving a redirect

← Older revision		Revision as of 11:44, 28 December 2025
(No difference)

Christof Rolker: /* German system (Chroust) */

2025-12-20T21:58:35Z

German system (Chroust)

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:58, 20 December 2025
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	The Chroust formula for [[Firenze, BNC, Conv. soppr. A I 402]] (the Gratian copy mentioned above) would be:		The Chroust formula for [[Firenze, BNC, Conv. soppr. A I 402]] (the Gratian copy mentioned above) would be:

	: IV<sup>8</sup> + (IV-1)<sup>15</sup> + 3.IV<sup>39</sup> + II<sup>43</sup> + 15.IV<sup>163</sup> + II<sup>167</sup> + IV<sup>175</sup> + (I-1)<sup>176</sup>		:IV<sup>8</sup> + (IV-1)<sup>15</sup> + 3.IV<sup>39</sup> + II<sup>43</sup> + 15.IV<sup>163</sup> + II<sup>167</sup> + IV<sup>175</sup> + (I-1)<sup>176</sup>

	and translates as follows: <blockquote>The first quire is a quaternio and ends fol. 8, the next already at fol. 15 because of the one leave being lost; after three more quaterniones we are at 15+(38) = fol. 39, the binio ends after four folios at fol. 43, the series of fifteen quateriones (158 = 120 folios) ends at fol. 163, the binio at fol. 167, the quaternio at fol. 175, the leave we treat as a separate quire is fol. 176. </blockquote>The remaining folios (a binio and three singletons, see above) are not foliated, and thus conventionally are not counted for the ''Lagenformel''.		and translates as follows: <blockquote>The first quire is a quaternio and ends fol. 8, the next already at fol. 15 because of the one leave being lost; after three more quaterniones we are at 15+(38) = fol. 39, the binio ends after four folios at fol. 43, the series of fifteen quateriones (158 = 120 folios) ends at fol. 163, the binio at fol. 167, the quaternio at fol. 175, the leave we treat as a separate quire is fol. 176. </blockquote>The remaining folios (a binio and three singletons, see above) are not foliated, and thus conventionally are not counted for the ''Lagenformel''.

	From this formula, it is easy to see that the quires together contain 176 folios, and that it mainly consists of quaterniones; also, it is relatively easy to see that there are two biniones (the two "II" stand out), but it is less straightforward to say how many quires there are in total (1+1+3+1+15+1+1+1 = 24), and one simply cannot tell where between fol. 9 and fol. 15 the lost leave was.		From this formula, it is easy to see that the quires together contain 176 folios, and that '''Fd''' mainly consists of quaterniones; also, it is relatively easy to see that there are only two biniones (the two "II" stand out) and where to find them (fol. 40-43 and 164-167, respectively), but it is less straightforward to say how many quires there are in total (1+1+3+1+15+1+1+1 = 24), and one simply cannot tell where between fol. 9 and fol. 15 the lost leave originally was.

	==Literature==		==Literature==
	N.R. {{author\|Ker}}, [https://digitalker.stanford.edu/01-original-1957-catalogue/ Catalogue of Manuscripts containing Anglo-Saxon] (Oxford 1957) esp. p. xx. - J.-P. {{author\|Gumbert}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/galim_0753-5015_1989_num_14_1_1088 L'unité codicologique, ou : à quoi bon les cahiers ?], Gazette du livre médiéval 14 (1989) pp. 4-8. - Franz M. {{author\|Bischoff}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/scrip_0036-9772_1992_num_46_1_1611 Methoden der Lagenbeschreibung], Scriptorium 46 (1992), pp. 3-27. - Barbara {{author\|Shailor}}, Catalogue of medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University (Binghamton, N.Y., 1984-2004) (the first three volumes are online: [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0001bein vol. 1], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0002bein vol. 2], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie03bein vol. 3]).		N.R. {{author\|Ker}}, [https://digitalker.stanford.edu/01-original-1957-catalogue/ Catalogue of Manuscripts containing Anglo-Saxon] (Oxford 1957) esp. p. xx. - J.-P. {{author\|Gumbert}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/galim_0753-5015_1989_num_14_1_1088 L'unité codicologique, ou : à quoi bon les cahiers ?], Gazette du livre médiéval 14 (1989) pp. 4-8. - Franz M. {{author\|Bischoff}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/scrip_0036-9772_1992_num_46_1_1611 Methoden der Lagenbeschreibung], Scriptorium 46 (1992), pp. 3-27. - Barbara {{author\|Shailor}}, Catalogue of medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University (Binghamton, N.Y., 1984-2004) (the first three volumes are online: [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0001bein vol. 1], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0002bein vol. 2], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie03bein vol. 3]).

Christof Rolker: /* German system (Chroust) */

2025-12-20T21:56:06Z

German system (Chroust)

← Older revision		Revision as of 23:56, 20 December 2025
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	''Example''		''Example''

	We describe the quire structure in Firenze, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, Conv. ~~Soppr~~. A I 402 (Fd) thus:		We describe the quire structure in [[Firenze, BNC, Conv. soppr. A I 402\|Firenze, Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale, Conv. soppr. A I 402]] (a copy of [[Gratian]], siglum '''Fd''') thus:

	'''Fascicoli: 1<sup>8</sup> 2<sup>8</sup>(-1, 7th leaf) 3-5<sup>8</sup> 6<sup>4</sup> 7-21<sup>8</sup> 22<sup>4</sup> 23<sup>8</sup> 24<sup>1</sup> 25<sup>2</sup> 26<sup>3</sup>(singletons).'''		'''Fascicoli: 1<sup>8</sup> 2<sup>8</sup>(-1, 7th leaf) 3-5<sup>8</sup> 6<sup>4</sup> 7-21<sup>8</sup> 22<sup>4</sup> 23<sup>8</sup> 24<sup>1</sup> 25<sup>2</sup> 26<sup>3</sup>(singletons).'''
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	==German system (Chroust)==		==German system (Chroust)==
	In German-speaking scholarship, the most common form to describe the quire structure of a codex is that developed by Anton Chroust around 1900 (known as ''Chroust'sche Lagenformel''). In this system, the focus is on the type of quires a codex is composed of. If a codex (as it is very commonly the case) consists of medieval parchment quires with modern paper fly leaves, only the parchment folios are taken into account. Roman numbers are used to indicate the different quire types (I for a bifolium, II for a ''binio'', III for a ''ternio'', IV for a ''quaternio'', and so on). If there is a series of quires of the same type, preceding Arab numbers indicate how many. A plus sign is used between the individual ~~quires or~~ series of quires. A codex composed of one ''ternio'' followed by three ''quaterniones'' is thus described as follows:		In German-speaking scholarship, the most common form to describe the quire structure of a codex is that developed by Anton Chroust around 1900 (known as ''Chroust'sche Lagenformel''). In this system, the focus is on the type of quires a codex is composed of. If a codex (as it is very commonly the case) consists of medieval parchment quires with modern paper fly leaves, only the parchment folios are taken into account. Roman numbers are used to indicate the different quire types (I for a bifolium, II for a binio, III for a ternio, IV for a quaternio, and so on). If there is a series of quires of the same type, preceding Arab numbers indicate how many. A plus sign is used between the individual series of quires. A codex composed of one ternio followed by three quaterniones is thus described as follows:
	:III + 3.IV		:III + 3.IV

	Leaves that were cut out or inserted later are notated with a plus or minus sign after the ~~gathering~~ type~~, now~~ placed in brackets. To retain the same example, if the ~~initial ''~~ternio'' lost a leave but the last ''quaternio'' was later supplemented with two more single leaves, the formula would be:		Leaves that were cut out or inserted later are notated with a plus or minus sign after the quire type which is placed in brackets in such cases. To retain the same example, if the ternio lost a leave but the last quaternio was later supplemented with two more single leaves, the formula would be:
	:(III - 1) + 2.IV + (IV + 2)		:(III-1) + 2.IV + (IV+2)

	Finally, to make it easier to check the quire structure, the folio number of the last folio in a series of quires of the same type is indicated by superscript Arab numbers.		Finally, to make it easier to check the quire structure, the folio number of the last folio in a series of quires of the same type is indicated by superscript Arab numbers.
	:(III - 1)<sup>5</sup> + 2.IV<sup>21</sup> + (IV + 2)<sup>31</sup>		:(III-1)<sup>5</sup> + 2.IV<sup>21</sup> + (IV+2)<sup>31</sup>

	~~In contrast to~~ the ~~English system~~, the ~~Chroust formula does not indicate ''which'' leaves~~ are ~~lost or added~~. On the ~~plus side~~, the ~~original type~~ of ~~quires is visible~~ at ~~a glance~~, ~~and for codicologically relevant breaks~~ the ~~folio number~~ is ~~given~~. ~~For easy cases~~ (~~codices composed mainly of quaterniones~~, ~~with one or two odd quires and/or some loss of leaves~~), the ~~Chroust~~ formula is easy to ~~understand~~, ~~clear~~, ~~and short~~, but it is less ~~suited for complex cases~~.		The Chroust formula for [[Firenze, BNC, Conv. soppr. A I 402]] (the Gratian copy mentioned above) would be:

			: IV<sup>8</sup> + (IV-1)<sup>15</sup> + 3.IV<sup>39</sup> + II<sup>43</sup> + 15.IV<sup>163</sup> + II<sup>167</sup> + IV<sup>175</sup> + (I-1)<sup>176</sup>

			and translates as follows: <blockquote>The first quire is a quaternio and ends fol. 8, the next already at fol. 15 because of the one leave being lost; after three more quaterniones we are at 15+(38) = fol. 39, the binio ends after four folios at fol. 43, the series of fifteen quateriones (158 = 120 folios) ends at fol. 163, the binio at fol. 167, the quaternio at fol. 175, the leave we treat as a separate quire is fol. 176. </blockquote>The remaining folios (a binio and three singletons, see above) are not foliated, and thus conventionally are not counted for the ''Lagenformel''.

			From this formula, it is easy to see that the quires together contain 176 folios, and that it mainly consists of quaterniones; also, it is relatively easy to see that there are two biniones (the two "II" stand out), but it is less straightforward to say how many quires there are in total (1+1+3+1+15+1+1+1 = 24), and one simply cannot tell where between fol. 9 and fol. 15 the lost leave was.

	==Literature==		==Literature==
	N.R. {{author\|Ker}}, [https://digitalker.stanford.edu/01-original-1957-catalogue/ Catalogue of Manuscripts containing Anglo-Saxon] (Oxford 1957) esp. p. xx. - J.-P. {{author\|Gumbert}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/galim_0753-5015_1989_num_14_1_1088 L'unité codicologique, ou : à quoi bon les cahiers ?], Gazette du livre médiéval 14 (1989) pp. 4-8. - Franz M. {{author\|Bischoff}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/scrip_0036-9772_1992_num_46_1_1611 Methoden der Lagenbeschreibung], Scriptorium 46 (1992), pp. 3-27. - Barbara {{author\|Shailor}}, Catalogue of medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University (Binghamton, N.Y., 1984-2004) (the first three volumes are online: [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0001bein vol. 1], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0002bein vol. 2], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie03bein vol. 3]).		N.R. {{author\|Ker}}, [https://digitalker.stanford.edu/01-original-1957-catalogue/ Catalogue of Manuscripts containing Anglo-Saxon] (Oxford 1957) esp. p. xx. - J.-P. {{author\|Gumbert}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/galim_0753-5015_1989_num_14_1_1088 L'unité codicologique, ou : à quoi bon les cahiers ?], Gazette du livre médiéval 14 (1989) pp. 4-8. - Franz M. {{author\|Bischoff}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/scrip_0036-9772_1992_num_46_1_1611 Methoden der Lagenbeschreibung], Scriptorium 46 (1992), pp. 3-27. - Barbara {{author\|Shailor}}, Catalogue of medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University (Binghamton, N.Y., 1984-2004) (the first three volumes are online: [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0001bein vol. 1], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0002bein vol. 2], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie03bein vol. 3]).

Christof Rolker: /* German system (Chroust) */

2025-12-20T20:48:32Z

German system (Chroust)

← Older revision		Revision as of 22:48, 20 December 2025
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	If the manuscript is paginated rather than foliated, one multiplies the result by 2., which gives the page number of the last page.		If the manuscript is paginated rather than foliated, one multiplies the result by 2., which gives the page number of the last page.

	== German system (Chroust) ==		==German system (Chroust)==
	In German-speaking scholarship, the most common form to describe the quire structure of a codex is that developed by Anton Chroust around 1900 (known as ''Chroust'sche Lagenformel''). In this system, the focus is on the type of quires a codex is composed of. Roman numbers are used to indicate the different quire types (I for ~~double leaves~~, II for ''~~biniones~~'', III for ''~~terniones~~'', IV for ''~~quaterniones~~'', and so on). If there is a series of quires of the same type, preceding Arab numbers indicate how many. A plus sign is used between the individual quires or series of quires. A codex composed of one ''ternio'' followed by three ''quaterniones'' is thus described as follows:		In German-speaking scholarship, the most common form to describe the quire structure of a codex is that developed by Anton Chroust around 1900 (known as ''Chroust'sche Lagenformel''). In this system, the focus is on the type of quires a codex is composed of. If a codex (as it is very commonly the case) consists of medieval parchment quires with modern paper fly leaves, only the parchment folios are taken into account. Roman numbers are used to indicate the different quire types (I for a bifolium, II for a ''binio'', III for a ''ternio'', IV for a ''quaternio'', and so on). If there is a series of quires of the same type, preceding Arab numbers indicate how many. A plus sign is used between the individual quires or series of quires. A codex composed of one ''ternio'' followed by three ''quaterniones'' is thus described as follows:
	:III + 3.IV		:III + 3.IV

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	:(III - 1)<sup>5</sup> + 2.IV<sup>21</sup> + (IV + 2)<sup>31</sup>		:(III - 1)<sup>5</sup> + 2.IV<sup>21</sup> + (IV + 2)<sup>31</sup>

	In contrast to the English ~~collation formula~~, the Chroust formula does not indicate ''which'' leaves are lost or added.		In contrast to the English system, the Chroust formula does not indicate ''which'' leaves are lost or added. On the plus side, the original type of quires is visible at a glance, and for codicologically relevant breaks the folio number is given. For easy cases (codices composed mainly of quaterniones, with one or two odd quires and/or some loss of leaves), the Chroust formula is easy to understand, clear, and short, but it is less suited for complex cases.

	==Literature==		==Literature==
	N.R. {{author\|Ker}}, [https://digitalker.stanford.edu/01-original-1957-catalogue/ Catalogue of Manuscripts containing Anglo-Saxon] (Oxford 1957) esp. p. xx. - J.-P. {{author\|Gumbert}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/galim_0753-5015_1989_num_14_1_1088 L'unité codicologique, ou : à quoi bon les cahiers ?], Gazette du livre médiéval 14 (1989) pp. 4-8. - Franz M. {{author\|Bischoff}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/scrip_0036-9772_1992_num_46_1_1611 Methoden der Lagenbeschreibung], Scriptorium 46 (1992), pp. 3-27. - Barbara {{author\|Shailor}}, Catalogue of medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University (Binghamton, N.Y., 1984-2004) (the first three volumes are online: [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0001bein vol. 1], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0002bein vol. 2], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie03bein vol. 3]).		N.R. {{author\|Ker}}, [https://digitalker.stanford.edu/01-original-1957-catalogue/ Catalogue of Manuscripts containing Anglo-Saxon] (Oxford 1957) esp. p. xx. - J.-P. {{author\|Gumbert}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/galim_0753-5015_1989_num_14_1_1088 L'unité codicologique, ou : à quoi bon les cahiers ?], Gazette du livre médiéval 14 (1989) pp. 4-8. - Franz M. {{author\|Bischoff}}, [https://www.persee.fr/doc/scrip_0036-9772_1992_num_46_1_1611 Methoden der Lagenbeschreibung], Scriptorium 46 (1992), pp. 3-27. - Barbara {{author\|Shailor}}, Catalogue of medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University (Binghamton, N.Y., 1984-2004) (the first three volumes are online: [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0001bein vol. 1], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie0002bein vol. 2], [https://archive.org/details/catalogueofmedie03bein vol. 3]).