Category Archives: history & provenance

The Voynich has no Provenance

Posted on April 19, 2020 by proto57

There is no written evidence that can be used as provenance for the famous and enigmatic Voynich Manuscript. Although it is claimed that certain 17th century mentions of a manuscript are the Voynich, on close examination these fail to satisfy … Continue reading →

Posted in Dating the VMs, history & provenance | 12 Comments

The Modern Forgery Hypothesis

Posted on March 23, 2016 by proto57

Although I’ve mentioned various aspects of my Modern Forgery Hypothesis for the Voynich Manuscript over the last few years, both here and on the Voynich Mailing List, I have never posted a summary of it. This is an attempt at … Continue reading →

Posted in codes and ciphers, Dating the VMs, history & provenance | Tagged , , , | 38 Comments

The 1665 Marci Letter: A Forgery?

Posted on September 11, 2015 by proto57

One of the keystone items of evidence used to support the claims that the Voynich Manuscript is a genuine, ancient work, is the 1665 Marci-to-Kircher letter which Wilfrid Voynich said he found in the book. But does this letter deserve … Continue reading →

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The Three Quire Theory

Posted on August 4, 2015 by proto57

Over the last year or so I’ve begun to wonder if the bifolios of the Voynich Manuscript may actually be cut from some larger folio stock, which was originally in the form of three or four large, blank quires. If … Continue reading →

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The Origins of the Dee Myth

Posted on July 22, 2015 by proto57

A commonly recurring element of the Voynich provenance story is that the famous astrologer, alchemical and seer, John Dee, probably owned the manuscript, and brought it to the Court of Rudolf II in the late 16th century. This anecdote is … Continue reading →

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Sowerby’s Philippovitch

Posted on June 2, 2015 by proto57

In E. Millicent Sowerby’s 1967 autobiography, Rare People and Rare Books, she gives us a wonderful insight into the world of bookselling in the 20th century. We are lucky that she includes a vivid description of her time with Wilfrid … Continue reading →

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Modern Voynich Myths

Posted on May 8, 2015 by proto57

When I first learned of the Voynich Manuscript back in 2006, there was a certain, accepted baseline understanding of what it might be. This foundation was supported by many different factors, both real and assumed, or some combination of both. … Continue reading →

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You Say “Tspenencz”, I say “Topenencz”

Posted on November 14, 2014 by proto57

A recurring theme to many of the inquires which Voynich made, to various curators and expert scholars, was to ask questions which pointed them into certain directions, while at the same time professing to not know where that direction ultimately … Continue reading →

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Voynich’s Forgery

Posted on September 22, 2014 by proto57

Well that got your attention! But my title does not refer to the famous Voynich Manuscript, which a handful of people… myself included… have suspected of being a forgery. Nor is it one of the half dozen items which Voynich … Continue reading →

Posted in Dating the VMs, history & provenance | 7 Comments

The Timing of the “Rumor”

Posted on May 27, 2014 by proto57

In the August 19, 1665 letter from Johannes Marcus Marci to Athanasius Kircher (claimed to have been found by Wilfrid M. Voynich in the famous “Voynich Manuscript”), Marci relates the rumor that he had heard about the authorship and previous … Continue reading →

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