Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · 7d

Can. Not. Wait.

Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · 11d

Wild find from among my late grandfather's stuff: what appears to be a ticket to opening night of the run of April 1964 Lenny Bruce shows in Greenwich Village that ultimately led to his arrest, trial, and conviction on obscenity charges.

Pink ticket, no. 0985 "Cafe Au Go Go, 152 Bllecker St., N. Y. C., LENNY BRUCE, Wednesday APril 1st, 1964. Admission $3.75."

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · 21d

In a way. While the margins were not left wide specifically for decoration at the opening, hand finishing early printed books was not at all uncommon.

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · 21d

A 1471 edition of Valerius Maximus, printed in Mainz by Peter Schoeffer. An artifact from a period in European printing history when innovations in presswork (and the printing press itself) were just taking hold. The illuminated border is a 19th-century addition. 3 of 3

The opening page, with a 19th-century illuminated border, also showing the red-printed rubrics. BPL Q.407.40. Purchased from Bernard Quaritch.

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · 21d

An extremely rare illustrated version of Aesop’s fables intended for Italian school children to learn Latin. Printed in Milan in 1497, this is one of 5 recorded copies. At BPL, it joins a strong collection of other editions of 15th-century Aesop school texts. 2/3

The woodcut first page of the "Vita" (biographical) portion of the text. BPL Q.406.59. Purchased from Heritage Book Shop.

A portion of the book showing examples of the Italian verse lessons, with an early drawing in the margins.

The bookplate of the English illustrator Walter Crane (1845-1915), to whom the book once belonged.

A section with a tracing of a drawing from the other side of the page. Many of the woodcuts in the copy are either traced, like this, or "pounced," with series of pin pricks added to aid in copying

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · 21d

Some newly acquired early print at the Boston Public Library: first, an unrecorded edition of Tifi Odasi’s Macaronea printed in Rome ca. 1493-1499. A bawdy verse satire on university humanists in Padua, it's written in a playful mix of Latin and Italian. Purchased from Patrick Olson Rare Books. 1/3

The first page with woodcut illustration and an intro stating the name of the author. BPL Q.406.58.

An opening showing the Latin/Italian verse.

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · 25d

Ending Cape vacation in style

A portrait of Edward Gorey over his OGDRED license plate, in his house museum in Yarmouth

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · 25d

Blustery bayside Cape Cod morning

She bride with waves on a beach. Wellfleet

Early morning view of the bay. Seagrass in foreground

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · Aug 28

A little Cape Cod beach time this week

Child rescuing down with both hands into a tidal pool

Pointing to some crabs scurrying around in a tidal pool

Toddler sprinting down a sandbank away from the camera

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Reposted by Jay Moschella

🎃🪦 BLOODSUGARSETHMASKET 🪦🎃 @smotus.bsky.social · Aug 22

Make this fucking happen and make Holly Hunter his partner

Nicolas Cage In Talks For ‘True Detective’ Season 5

Nicolas Cage is in talks to headline the upcoming fifth season of HBO‘s crime anthology series True Detective.

deadline.com

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Reposted by Jay Moschella

Michelle Wu 吳弭 @wutrain.bsky.social · Aug 21

You can check out the Boston Public Library’s unbelievable Special Collections in person at the newly renovated reading room: www.bpl.org/special-coll...

We’re also working to digitize even more of these treasures & make them searchable & accessible from anywhere in the world. @bpl.boston.gov

Boston Public Library aims to increase access to a vast historic archive using AI

The library is launching a project in collaboration with Harvard Law School and OpenAI this summer to digitize the materials and make them more fully searchable.

www.npr.org

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Reposted by Jay Moschella

Michelle Wu 吳弭 @wutrain.bsky.social · Aug 21

Actually I swore an oath to uphold the Constitution of the United States with my hand on @bpl.boston.gov’s 1782 edition Aitken Bible—also known as the Bible of the Revolution.

An image from Mayor Wu’s swearing in ceremony on November 16, 2021 in Boston City Hall. Michelle raises her right hand as Judge Myong Joun administers the oath of office; her left hand is on the Aitken Bible held by her husband and two sons.

A picture of the Boston Public Library’s 1782 edition Aitken Bible, showing the inside cover and 1st page

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · Aug 17

Kiting

Toddler flying a kite, shimmering Boston harbor in the background

Silhouette of a child with a kite flying high in the background

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · Aug 15

Birthday party geode cracking

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · Aug 7

Immodest levels of Schaedler posting

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · Aug 7

Working with the BPL Catholicon today. It’s such an ocean of information—textual and material.

Presentation box with label “Catholicon, 1460”

A portion of the word “fastidiat close up

Edges of the text block, with leather thumb tabs

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · Aug 7

I can hear them in Roslindale. Do not love it.

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · Aug 4

This morning’s sunrise blanketed with the now more or less permanent wildfire smoke, or a backdrop from Bladerunner 2049?

Orange morning sun over Boston blotted out by Canadian wildfire smoke

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · Jul 29

That a book that has been endlessly argued over for the past 40 years -- and long before -- can yield brand new bibliographical evidence. Amazing. Spoiler alert: nail heads.

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · Jul 29

Watching agog at Paul Needham's ongoing lecture on **new** physical evidence of printing in the Catholicon. Inspiring. Amazing.

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · Jul 27

Last day of Basque travels ends in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, a popular starting point for the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Clear water, stone walls, and views of the Pyrenees.

A view along the walls leading up to the Citadel

Clear mountain water through the middle of town

The main street before the day's tourists arrive, shuttered buildings with mountains in the distance

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · Jul 24

Morning hike in Basque foothills

Sun breaking through clouds in front of hills and mountains

Horse standing on top of hill against sky

Black horse and foal in ferns, seashore off in the distance

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · Jul 22

Ciertamente!

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · Jul 22

A week in Basque Country

Hedged in garden under clouds, Urrugne, France

View of San Sebastián, Spain, along the coast

Draped robes from an unattributed 18th-century representation of the immaculate conception

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Jay Moschella @jaymoschella.bsky.social · Jul 16

A complete copy of the U.S. Army Talmud, AKA the Survivors' Talmud. Printed in Heidelberg in 1948 by and for Holocaust survivors, this copy was sent to the BPL's West End Branch in 1951 to become part of the collection formerly curated by the pioneering Judaica librarian Fanny Goldstein. (4/4)

An image showing all 19 volumes in their original textured brown cloth bindings. BPL pf.2025.90

Title page to the second volume. An image showing the barbed wire of a concentration came in the lower portion, with palm trees and images of the Holy Land at the top.

The ink stamp of the BPL West End Branch

Gift bookplate of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.

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