Oh look it’s me

I recently discovered 37 diaries belonging to a soldier of the First World War. As I began to read the diaries, I came across stories of the horrors of war, and the bravery and sacrifice of the man who wrote them, Major William Henry Tapp. But what I could not believe was

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It’s such a great conversation with young antiquarian book dealer and YouTube star @tomwayling. Learn how much a first edition of The Hobbit will set you back – and how you can buy a page from a medieval for less than £200.

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I spoke about book collecting earlier this morning on @BBCBreakfast

I think of this whenever I see a book from Ewart’s library

It was so much fun to speak with Alice, and to really get stuck into this remarkable book

I'm not sure I can bring myself to imagine what has been CUT OUT

And after a while of staring at the drawing like this:

What sort of fever dream is this:

But then you turn the page and see this:

And I think you'll agree that a book of mechanical solutions shouldn't really get weirder than that

But then things take a weird turn when a photograph of cats playing dominos suddenly turns up

So you don't bat an eyelid when the author takes random illustrated poetic interludes - it's just an eccentric Victorian mathematician getting distracted...

And as you get deeper into the book, some of the problems are enigmatically illustrated, which lends a certain charm.

So I'm cataloguing away on this 1860s mathematical manuscript, and it seems normal enough - solutions to various mechanics problems given in neat purple ink.

Sometimes manuscripts can surprise you, and sometimes they just leave you dumbfounded... Come along to relive exploring one with me:

This is Anne Boleyn’s Book of Hours, and when I visited @hevercastle, I was guided through its remarkable provenance by @kateemccaffrey, whose research has shed new light on its ownership history

If your library, museum or cultural institution has stories, discoveries, or objects deserving of a greater audience, do get in touch: tom@tomwayling.co.uk