Gisla's Library -- All Books

Gisla's Library - The picture below is a few of the books that aren't showing in other pictures. 

The link below is to all books that are for sale from Gisla's Library. As explained in the initial Blog Post,  we are downsizing. I'd rather that these books and belongings go to people who will appreciate them. These books cover a variety of topics - most are SCA period, a very few are outside of period.

Several of these books are in German or French language. I've found that taking a picture of the page with my tablet or phone while in Google Translate helped me to read the bits I needed help with.

Check out this sheet for the list with prices. I'm open to "offers" for bundles of books. If you'd like a picture of a specific book in the library, please just let me know.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1HKSrHbALW1coNN6hBRwXGXlxSh3yzcJNZT00UnZQ1T0/edit?usp=sharing

Armor & Warfare Library

 Armor & Warfare Books

These books cover a variety of topics - survey of armor history, warfare, extant examples & recreations. 

Several of these books are in the French language. I've found that taking a picture of the page with my tablet or phone while in Google Translate helped me to read the bits I needed help with.

Check out this sheet for the list with prices. I'm open to "offers" for bundles of books. If you'd like a picture of a specific book in the library, please just let me know.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1UgSzlVKEe783rZgK9pv_rXIvzP1BPkLS9gJsVc2QH9A/edit?usp=sharing

Viking life in color

Nurmann, Schulze, & Verhulsdonk. The Vikings: Recreated in Colour Photographs, Windrow & Greene, 1997.

"The Vikings: Recreated in Colour Photographs" by Dieter Nurmann, Gert Schulze, and Rainer Vurhulsdonk is a visually rich and historically detailed book that brings Viking life and culture to life through color photography.  The authors use modern-day reenactments and carefully researched reconstructions to present an authentic representation of Viking society, focusing on the daily life, warfare, trade, and exploration of these seafaring people. 

This book has many photographs of Viking reenactors dressed in historically accurate clothing, using period-appropriate tools, weapons, and accessories. Each photograph is accompanied by explanations and extant photos that detail the historical background of the items or scenes depicted. The book covers the Vikings' domestic life, social structure, warfare, exploration, and their far-reaching influence across Europe and beyond. 

This soft cover book is in excellent condition. The Dust cover has a small rip on the back cover. We pasted a book plate on the front cover, but it is otherwise in fine condition. The dimensions are approximately 19.69 x 1.27 x 26.67 cm 25.5 x 4 x 28.7 cm 1859150586.

I'm asking $25.

Inventory of King Henry VIII

Starkey, David, editor. The Inventory of King Henry VIII: Volume 1, The Transcript. Harvey Miller Publishers, 1998.

The Inventory of King Henry VIII: Volume 1, The Transcript is a meticulously transcribed document of King Henry VIII’s possessions, compiled shortly after his death in 1547. Commissioned by his son, Edward VI, the inventory catalogs over 18,000 items, ranging from royal regalia to personal items and military stores, providing invaluable insight into the grandeur of the Tudor court. The inventory is housed in two manuscripts, one held by the Society of Antiquaries of London and the other by the British Library.

This volume includes a comprehensive historical introduction, detailed notes, and an exhaustive index, providing scholars with a critical tool for understanding Tudor material culture. The transcript not only helps trace surviving objects but also aids in attributing other items to Henry VIII. With a glossary of technical terms, it is an indispensable resource for students and historians interested in the Tudor monarchy and the reign of Henry VIII.

My copy is in very good condition, with a mylar-wrapped dust jacket. Other than an address label on one of the front sheets, I see no evidence of use. It is a large heavy book, being approximately 9"wide x 11.25"tall x 2"thick. 539 pages. ISBN: 9781872501895 / 1872501893.

I'm asking $110.

Chronicle of the Crusades

Mamerot, Sebastien. A Chronicle of the Crusades: From Charlemagne to Sultan Bayezid. Taschen, 2009.

Sebastien Mamerot’s A Chronicle of the Crusades: From Charlemagne to Sultan Bayezid is an exceptional two-volume set that offers an in-depth glimpse into the world of the Crusades as seen through the eyes of 15th-century chroniclers. The first volume is a meticulous facsimile of Les Passages d’Outremer, a manuscript completed in 1474 under the artistic direction of the renowned illuminator Jean Colombe. This facsimile faithfully reproduces the 277 parchment folios, capturing the vibrant colors and intricate details of the 66 miniatures that blend historical events with legendary narratives. The illuminations reflect the grandeur of the Crusades, showcasing battles, royal figures, and moments of mythic significance in vivid, gold-inked depictions. This manuscript is one of the few surviving contemporary documents to chronicle four centuries of French involvement in the Crusades, and its reproduction is based on the copy housed in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France.

The first volume, Les Passages d’Outremer, serves as both an artistic masterpiece and a historical record, reflecting how successive French kings aimed to conquer and control the Holy Land from the time of Charlemagne through to Sultan Bayezid. The legendary aspects of the narrative mix seamlessly with factual accounts, providing a blend of myth and reality, characteristic of medieval historical documentation. Jean Colombe's illuminations were executed with exquisite skill, making the facsimile an invaluable resource for art historians, medievalists, and those interested in manuscript studies. The facsimile is printed with painstaking accuracy, replicating the medieval gold ink and other original details.

The second volume in this set offers an unabridged, annotated English translation of the Middle French text by Mary Lawson and Chris Miller. Edited and commented upon by scholars Thierry Delcourt, Danielle Quéruel, and Fabrice Masanès, this volume enriches the historical and artistic context of Mamerot's work. The translation is based on a modern French version, making the text accessible to a broader audience, while the commentary delves into the historical significance of the Crusades, the interplay of fact and legend in Mamerot’s narrative, and the artistic techniques used in the manuscript’s production. This scholarly edition is indispensable for those studying medieval European history and the Crusades, as it bridges the gap between the visual splendor of the facsimile and the complex historical realities it portrays.

The set is housed in a red cloth binding with gilt lettering and is tucked into a sturdy, paper-covered slipcase. The commentary volume also includes bibliographical references (pages 234-235), offering a wealth of additional sources for further study. The quality of Taschen’s reproduction ensures that this rare manuscript, which had previously only been available to scholars with access to the French National Library, can now be appreciated in all its historical and artistic grandeur. As one of the most comprehensive and lavishly illustrated records of the Crusades, A Chronicle of the Crusades is a vital resource for anyone interested in medieval history, art, and the intersection of fact and legend in historical chronicles.

My copy is still shrink-wrapped and I'm not willing to open the package, but I am including some photos below pulled from the internet. ISBN: 9783836505550. I'm asking $175 for the set.

Artifacts from Medieval Winchester

Biddle, Martin. Object and Economy in Medieval Winchester: Artefacts from Medieval Winchester. 2 vols., Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1990. 

This two-volume set, Object and Economy in Medieval Winchester, catalogues and discusses around 6,600 objects recovered from the 1961–1971 Winchester excavation seasons, spanning from Anglo-Saxon to post-medieval periods. The book's primary sections cover the post-excavation process, and the industries and tools of the time, including gold, silver, copper alloy, iron, textile production, tanning, leatherwork, and bone/antler craftsmanship. The objects are organized by function, such as personal possessions, devotional equipment, furnishings, horse gear, weapons, and armor.

This study sheds new light on the economy of a medieval city, with special focus on processes like textile manufacture, wire-drawing, pin production, and the beginnings of window-glass production and glass painting. Each object is thoroughly contextualized, linked to its archaeological site, and classified according to its historical use, offering an in-depth understanding of medieval Winchester's economy and craftsmanship.

The set is brand new, still in the original box, with both volumes and dust jackets in pristine condition. Volume 1 has 466 pages of text + 65 pages of photos. Volume 2 has 1271 pages. When I originally purchased these volumes, they did not come with a slipcase. ISBN: 9780198131755.

There are no copies of these books available for sale on Bookfinder.com but it appears they may be bringing out a new edition later this year. I'm asking $275 for the set.

Italian Renaissance Armor

Pyhrr, Stuart W., and José-A. Godoy. Heroic Armor of the Italian Renaissance: Filippo Negroli and His Contemporaries. NY: Metropolitan Museum of Art. Distributed by Harry Abrams. 1998.

In the second quarter of the 16th century, a new fashion emerged for armor designed after classical art forms, richly embossed, gilt, and damascened. These lavish parade armors, worn by Renaissance kings and captains, projected power and virtue. Filippo Negroli, the most celebrated of the Milanese armorers, transformed traditional military armor into sculptural works in steel. His family, including his brother Francesco and cousin Giovan Paolo, also contributed to the art of armor-making, serving clients like Emperor Charles V and the French court.

The book thoroughly examines Filippo's signed works and attributes additional pieces to him. It also covers the technical abilities and imaginative designs of the Milanese armorers, drawing from classical motifs such as Medusa heads and fantastic creatures. The book is generously illustrated and serves as a catalogue for a Metropolitan Museum of Art exhibition. 368 pages; 298 illustrations, 174 in color.

I have no idea how, but I seem to have three copies of this book. Probably because it is such an amazing book that I bought it every time I saw it (I wasn't good at managing my book inventory back then). There are quite a few copies available on Amazon and other sites, but most seem to be in used condition. I have one fine copy with mylar-wrapped dust jacket, and two copies that are still in their original shrink wrapping! ISBN: 9780810965294.

I'm asking $150 for the like new, but opened copy, and $250 for each of the shrink-wrapped copies. 

For folks who want all the words from the dust jacket: