Comori ascunse în copertele cărților: fragmente de tipărituri în colecțiile Bibliotecii Universitare din Cluj-Napoca
Hidden Treasures in Bookbindings: Printed Fragments in the Collections of the University Library of Cluj-Napoca

Summary/Abstract: During the process of compiling the catalogue of early Hungarian prints (RMK) preserved in the collections of the “Lucian Blaga” Central University Library of Cluj-Napoca, I encountered the challenge of identifying printed fragments – an essential task for bibliographical research. The identification focuses, on the one hand, on fragments embedded in bookbindings, and on the other hand, on those already removed from bindings. The original bindings are often in a deteriorated condition, which means that the leaves – printed or manuscript – used to reinforce the covers are only partially visible. For accurate copy descriptions, it is essential to include a description of the binding, which also entails reporting and, where possible, identifying these fragments.In this study, I present three cases to illustrate that: 1. the identification of such fragments can assist in localizing the bookbinding workshop and, by connecting different areas of fragment research, makes it possible to formulate new results that extend beyond the corpus of old Hungarian prints; 2. the identification of a fragment does not necessarily bring us closer to localizing the binding but may instead call for a reassessment of the work of previously known bookbinding workshops and an expansion of their presumed locations; 3. the identification of fragments enriches the known corpus of early Hungarian books as well as the list of bookbinding workshops known to us so far. Fragment identification resembles a puzzle game. Just as the larger picture emerges by fitting individual pieces together, here too the information readable from each fragment can be placed side by side to lead us to known or unknown prints, or to provide insights into the work of bookbinders – insights that all enrich our understanding of early modern book culture. As a result of this “game”, the number of known old Hungarian prints may grow, and we may learn new details about the operation and tools of Hungarian bookbinding workshops. Yet the work is rewarding even when such a discovery merely confirms what we already knew.

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