Henning Hansen
@henninghansen.bsky.social
Book historian & research librarian at the Swedish National Heritage Board & UiT The Arctic University of Norway. History of reading, Provenance, Cartography & Library history. @sharpweb.org aficionado.
Our copy of Holger Jacobæus’ ”Museum regium” has its own story: it was once owned by Swedish collector count Carl Gustaf Tessin and later Queen Lovisa Ulrika—who even commissioned a similar catalog for her own collections, published by Carl Linnaeus in 1764.
October 24, 2025 at 8:39 AM
Our copy of Holger Jacobæus’ ”Museum regium” has its own story: it was once owned by Swedish collector count Carl Gustaf Tessin and later Queen Lovisa Ulrika—who even commissioned a similar catalog for her own collections, published by Carl Linnaeus in 1764.
The theft ignited debate on crime and upbringing—and shocked many when the culprit proved Danish and not Swedish, English or Jewish (as the police had thought). It also marked the dawn of Danish Romanticism. Adam Oehlenschläger’s iconic poem “The Golden Horns" became a defining work of the era.
October 24, 2025 at 8:08 AM
The theft ignited debate on crime and upbringing—and shocked many when the culprit proved Danish and not Swedish, English or Jewish (as the police had thought). It also marked the dawn of Danish Romanticism. Adam Oehlenschläger’s iconic poem “The Golden Horns" became a defining work of the era.
The originals were lost forever. But thanks to detailed depictions and descriptions—among others by the Ole Worm and Joachim Richard Paulli—credible reproductions could be made. These are now on display at the National Museum of Denmark.
October 24, 2025 at 7:44 AM
The originals were lost forever. But thanks to detailed depictions and descriptions—among others by the Ole Worm and Joachim Richard Paulli—credible reproductions could be made. These are now on display at the National Museum of Denmark.
The horns were found near Gallehus, southern Jutland, the first one in 1639, and the second one in 1734. Dating from the early 5th century, the horns feature unique decoration and a famous runic inscription in Proto-Norse. They have always been regarded as national treasures of Denmark.
October 24, 2025 at 7:43 AM
The horns were found near Gallehus, southern Jutland, the first one in 1639, and the second one in 1734. Dating from the early 5th century, the horns feature unique decoration and a famous runic inscription in Proto-Norse. They have always been regarded as national treasures of Denmark.
The Louvre heist reminds me of other times when cultural treasures disappeared. One story that stays with me is the loss of the Golden Horns of Gallehus, Denmark, stolen in 1802 by a goldsmith who melted them down.
Engraving in Jacobæus' "Museum regium" [1696], The Swedish National Heritage Board.
Engraving in Jacobæus' "Museum regium" [1696], The Swedish National Heritage Board.
October 24, 2025 at 7:29 AM
The Louvre heist reminds me of other times when cultural treasures disappeared. One story that stays with me is the loss of the Golden Horns of Gallehus, Denmark, stolen in 1802 by a goldsmith who melted them down.
Engraving in Jacobæus' "Museum regium" [1696], The Swedish National Heritage Board.
Engraving in Jacobæus' "Museum regium" [1696], The Swedish National Heritage Board.
Välkommen till årets Rettigsymposium! Det äger rum den 26 november kl 13:15. Programmet bjuder på föredrag och samtal om aktuella forskningsprojekt knutna till Riksantikvarieämbetets arkiv och bibliotek. Evenemanget är kostnadsfritt och öppet för allmänheten – men föranmälan krävs: lnkd.in/dg_yv_Tv
September 29, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Välkommen till årets Rettigsymposium! Det äger rum den 26 november kl 13:15. Programmet bjuder på föredrag och samtal om aktuella forskningsprojekt knutna till Riksantikvarieämbetets arkiv och bibliotek. Evenemanget är kostnadsfritt och öppet för allmänheten – men föranmälan krävs: lnkd.in/dg_yv_Tv
Last week marked the inaugural meeting of the research network Objects of Knowledge, hosted at University of Copenhagen. It was a pleasure meeting everyone. I talked briefly about a fascinating item from our collections: one of Johannes Bureus’ copper plates.
comm.ku.dk/research/inf...
comm.ku.dk/research/inf...
September 24, 2025 at 7:25 AM
Last week marked the inaugural meeting of the research network Objects of Knowledge, hosted at University of Copenhagen. It was a pleasure meeting everyone. I talked briefly about a fascinating item from our collections: one of Johannes Bureus’ copper plates.
comm.ku.dk/research/inf...
comm.ku.dk/research/inf...
Why is it assumed that the 'lectrice' would skip the preface, unlike the 'lecteur'? Women’s reading has long been a concern. This 1833 example suggests that the way a woman read was as much a subject of critique as the content she read.
Preface in Fournier & Arnould’s "Struensée" [Paris 1833].
Preface in Fournier & Arnould’s "Struensée" [Paris 1833].
September 8, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Why is it assumed that the 'lectrice' would skip the preface, unlike the 'lecteur'? Women’s reading has long been a concern. This 1833 example suggests that the way a woman read was as much a subject of critique as the content she read.
Preface in Fournier & Arnould’s "Struensée" [Paris 1833].
Preface in Fournier & Arnould’s "Struensée" [Paris 1833].
Took a short break from the #SHARP2025 conference to visit the George Eastman Museum and was pleased to find a pretty library and cool book photos
July 10, 2025 at 7:52 PM
Took a short break from the #SHARP2025 conference to visit the George Eastman Museum and was pleased to find a pretty library and cool book photos
Printers’ devices on the doors of Rush Rhees Library ✨ #SHARP2025
July 9, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Printers’ devices on the doors of Rush Rhees Library ✨ #SHARP2025
My latest article explores the Oxenstierna family Bible: an annotated 1646 Swedish Bible once owned by the diplomat and statesman Count Bengt Oxenstierna (1623–1702). Read it here (in Swedish!): urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=... #bookhistory #swedishhistory
July 2, 2025 at 1:14 PM
My latest article explores the Oxenstierna family Bible: an annotated 1646 Swedish Bible once owned by the diplomat and statesman Count Bengt Oxenstierna (1623–1702). Read it here (in Swedish!): urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=... #bookhistory #swedishhistory
Call for applications: The Royal Swedish Academy of History, Letters and Antiquities is offering fellowships to young scholars and civil servants for projects dealing with the special collections at the Swedish National Heritage Board. Apply by 30 August 2025. www.raa.se/rettig
June 2, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Call for applications: The Royal Swedish Academy of History, Letters and Antiquities is offering fellowships to young scholars and civil servants for projects dealing with the special collections at the Swedish National Heritage Board. Apply by 30 August 2025. www.raa.se/rettig
Thrilled to share that the anthology "Från handskrift till digitalt kulturarv: Perspektiv på specialsamlingar", that I’ve co-edited with @sjokvist.bsky.social has been published.
It's available both in #openaccess and in print: www.diva-portal.org/smash/record....
#bookhistory #specialcollections
It's available both in #openaccess and in print: www.diva-portal.org/smash/record....
#bookhistory #specialcollections
May 23, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Thrilled to share that the anthology "Från handskrift till digitalt kulturarv: Perspektiv på specialsamlingar", that I’ve co-edited with @sjokvist.bsky.social has been published.
It's available both in #openaccess and in print: www.diva-portal.org/smash/record....
#bookhistory #specialcollections
It's available both in #openaccess and in print: www.diva-portal.org/smash/record....
#bookhistory #specialcollections
Huge book with the supralibros of Pope Pius VI (1717–1799) and the bookplate of Carl Fredrik Fredenheim (1748–1803). Fredenheim met the pope in Rome, while researching Swedish diploma and scouting art for the Swedish king. He was given papal permission to carry out excavations of Forum Romanum.
May 22, 2025 at 9:07 AM
Huge book with the supralibros of Pope Pius VI (1717–1799) and the bookplate of Carl Fredrik Fredenheim (1748–1803). Fredenheim met the pope in Rome, while researching Swedish diploma and scouting art for the Swedish king. He was given papal permission to carry out excavations of Forum Romanum.
Important stuff
April 11, 2025 at 11:42 AM
Important stuff
It's like a 19C version of a 16C title page
April 9, 2025 at 12:05 PM
It's like a 19C version of a 16C title page
Does anyone recognize this library stamp? It's clearly been tampered with. It's in a copy of Olaus Magnus' ‘Historia de gentibus sepentrionalibus’ (Rome 1555) with the supralibros of the Benedictine abbot Placidus Hieber von Greifenfels (1615–1678) of Lambach, Austria.
April 1, 2025 at 6:46 AM
Does anyone recognize this library stamp? It's clearly been tampered with. It's in a copy of Olaus Magnus' ‘Historia de gentibus sepentrionalibus’ (Rome 1555) with the supralibros of the Benedictine abbot Placidus Hieber von Greifenfels (1615–1678) of Lambach, Austria.
Title page from the print workshop of Lyon-based Guillaume Rouillé (c. 1504–1589). Rouillé is considered one of the finest humanist printers of his time, and is credited with the invention of the sextodecimo book format. [The Library of the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities]
March 19, 2025 at 9:17 AM
Title page from the print workshop of Lyon-based Guillaume Rouillé (c. 1504–1589). Rouillé is considered one of the finest humanist printers of his time, and is credited with the invention of the sextodecimo book format. [The Library of the Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities]
Annotated Neungeomgyeong Sutra with Hangeul translation. Printed with movable (!) type in 1461, in both Hangeul and Eulhaeja type [National Museum of Korea, Seoul].
March 6, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Annotated Neungeomgyeong Sutra with Hangeul translation. Printed with movable (!) type in 1461, in both Hangeul and Eulhaeja type [National Museum of Korea, Seoul].
Fascinating! We have a couple of similar items at the Swedish National Heritage Board.
February 17, 2025 at 9:31 AM
Fascinating! We have a couple of similar items at the Swedish National Heritage Board.
As Swedish so-called ‘fästmansband’ (literally ‘fiancé binding’) from 1797, which was a common gift to the bride-to-be.
February 14, 2025 at 4:57 PM
As Swedish so-called ‘fästmansband’ (literally ‘fiancé binding’) from 1797, which was a common gift to the bride-to-be.
Engraving of the grand Peace Banquet of 1649 in Nuremberg along with seating chart for all guests. The dog has not been allocated a seat but still manages to steal the show.
January 30, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Engraving of the grand Peace Banquet of 1649 in Nuremberg along with seating chart for all guests. The dog has not been allocated a seat but still manages to steal the show.
The bookbinding students in Leksand showed me some of the projects they're working on, and this notebook was one of my favorites. The runic inscription translates 'My adventures'.
January 17, 2025 at 11:18 AM
The bookbinding students in Leksand showed me some of the projects they're working on, and this notebook was one of my favorites. The runic inscription translates 'My adventures'.
In my mind I was standing completely still
January 16, 2025 at 10:20 AM
In my mind I was standing completely still
Today I’m at the Leksand Folk High School to deliver a paper on medieval book culture. As I bonus, I get to pay a visit to the bookbinders and their splendid workshop!
January 15, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Today I’m at the Leksand Folk High School to deliver a paper on medieval book culture. As I bonus, I get to pay a visit to the bookbinders and their splendid workshop!