[Ansteorra] information needed.

[willowdewisp at juno.com]

This article gives you some info. 
willow
 
This article is an annotated bibliography for calligraphy and illumination done before the 17th century and is intended for an historical recreation audience, such as the SCA*.
* The SCA is an international organization that recreates and studies culture from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance with a focus on Europe.
In the SCA, my wife Elizabeth is known as Elspeth nic Cormac. She says: "Keep in mind that I haven't gotten around to actually *reading* most of these yet – but the pictures are great!" 
Elspeth has amassed a shelf full of diverse books on calligraphy, illumination and related topics with a focus on what was done before the 17th century. 
As for me, I'm the husband (known as "Yves de Fortanier" in the SCA). I maintain this Web site and do a little C&I myself (see the "portfolio" link to your right). I organized her original list of book reviews into categories and did some light proofreading (both with her approval). "Period", when used below, means that it was a part of Western culture before the 17th century.

CONTENTS
 
> Calligraphy, Scripts, and Alphabets
> Drawing: Designs and Patterns
> Manuscripts: Illumination and Paintings, early Middle Ages (especially Celtic)
> Manuscripts: Illumination and Paintings, late Middle Ages
> Manuscripts: Illumination and Paintings, miscellaneous
> How to contact Elspeth
Calligraphy, Scripts, and Alphabets 
"Alphabets and Numbers of the Middle Ages" by Henry Shaw
Bracken Books, 1988 ... ISBN 0 517 66585 9
                        -or-
Barnes and Noble, 1994 ... ISBN 1 56619 640 X
Originally published in 1845, this one seems to wind up in everyone's library at some point. Easily available, it consists of Victorian redrawings of calligraphy with some minor illumination examples as well.
"The Art of Calligraphy" by George L. Thomson
Crescent Books, 1985
ISBN 0-517-61637-8
Has instructions on how to do Uncial, Round Hand, Black Letter, and Italic alphabets. Also has instructions on how to make your own pen. 
"The Art of Calligraphy: a practical guide" by Marie Angel
Charles Scribner's Sons, 1977
ISBN 0-684-15518-4
Gives in-depth instruction on tools, materials, Italic alphabet and design layout. 
"Basics of Left-handed Calligraphy" by Margaret Shepard
Prentice Hall Press, 1988
ISBN 0-13-066300-X
For the "southpaws" out there that have difficulty transposing right-handed directions. 
"The Encyclopedia of Calligraphy Techniques" by Diana Hardy Wilson
Quarto Publishing, 1990
ISBN 0-89471-850-9
Covers many calligraphy techniques (period and modern) including several alphabets, illumination and gilding. 
"Historical Scripts: a handbook for calligraphers" by Stan Knight
Taplinger Publishing, 1984
ISBN 0-8008-3848-3 (paperback)
Examines and shows several examples of period calligraphy. A great help in seeing how the alphabets were written by those who developed them. 
"Islamic Calligraphy" by Yasin Hamid Safadi
Thames and Hudson, 1978
ISBN 0-500-27177-8
Covers Islamic calligraphy in period. A very useful book for those who want to do scrolls in an Islamic style. All of the photographs are in black and white. 
"Medieval Calligraphy: its history and technique" by Marc Drogin
Dover, 1980
ISBN 0-486-26142-5
Easily available, this is a standard reference for calligraphers in the SCA. It shows many examples of period manuscripts and covers alphabet styles that almost no one else does. The alphabet styles covered are: Roman Rustic, Uncial, Artificial Uncial, Roman Half-Uncial, Insular Majuscule, Insular Minuscule, Luxeuil Minuscule (my personal favorite – looks like startled snakes leaping across the page), Carolingian Minuscule, Early Gothic, Gothic Textura Quadrata, Gothic Textura Prescisus vel sine pedibus (whatta mouthful!), and Gothic Littera Bastarda. Need I say more? 
>>> A note from the husband: this author's last name rhymes with "Conan".
"Yours Truly, King Arthur" by Marc Drogin
Taplinger Publishing, 1983
ISBN 0-8008-8766-2 (paperback)
The writing in the book appears to be geared for children, but adults will find it useful as well. It talks about various historical characters (Julius Caesar, King Arthur, Charlemagne, and Robin Hood) and the alphabets that they might have used. It then gives instructions on how to do the alphabets (Roman Rustic, Uncial, Carolingian, and Gothic). A good book from which parents and children can learn calligraphy together.
Drawing: Designs and Patterns 
"Celtic Art: the methods of construction" by George Bain
Dover, 1973
ISBN 0-486-22923-8
A classic reference on how to draw out Celtic knotwork, spirals, key patterns and beasties. 
"Celtic Design: A Beginner's Manual"     ISBN 0-500-27629-3  "Celtic Design: The Tree of Life" ISBN 0-500-27827-X"Celtic Design: Spiral Patterns" ISBN 0-500-27705-2"Celtic Design: Illuminated Letters" ISBN 0-500-27685-4"Celtic Design: Animal Patterns" ISBN 0-500-27622-5all written by Aidan Meehan
Thames and Hudson, pub.
A series of books that show how the various Celtic designs are constructed. 
"Designer's Guide to Scandinavian Patterns" by Thomas Parsons
Chronicle Books, 1993
ISBN 0-8118-0495-X
Shows many period Scandinavian designs.   
"The Illuminated Alphabet" by Timothy Noad and Patricia Seligman
Quarto Inc, 1994
ISBN 1-56138-458-5
Contains well-written projects with plentiful color pictures on how to illuminate a letter in Celtic, Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance, and modern revival styles. I highly recommend it to anyone trying to teach themselves. 
Manuscripts: Illumination and Paintings, early Middle Ages (especially Celtic) 
"The Book of Kells" by Bernard Meehan
Thames and Hudson, 1994
ISBN 0-500-27790-7
You guessed it – covers the Book of Kells from Ireland around 800 CE. Many photographs, mostly color. 
"Carolingian Painting" by Florentine Mutherich and Joachim E. Gaehde
George Braziller, 1976
ISBN 0-8076-0852-1 (paperback)
Covers the middle 700s through 900 CE Carolingian empire. Consists mostly of color photographs of illuminations of the time frame, with a few having some calligraphy in addition. 
"Celtic and Anglo-Saxon Painting" by Carl Nordenfalk
George Braziller, 1977
ISBN 0-8076-0826-2 (paperback)
Covers exactly what the title says. Many photographs, mostly color. 
"Early Medieval Book Illumination" by Carl Nordenfalk
Rizzoli International Publications Inc, 1988
ISBN 0-8478-0950-1 (paperback)
A more broad-based book, covering Late Roman, Pre-Carolingian, Ireland and England, Merovingian, Carolingian, Mozarabic, Anglo-Saxon (10th and 11th c) and Ottonian styles. More words, fewer photographs, but all the photographs are in color. 
"The Lindisfarne Gospels" by Janet Backhouse
Phaidon Press, 1981
ISBN 0-7148-2461-5
Focuses on the Lindisfarne Gospels which was created around 690-700 CE in what is now northeast England. A fair number of photographs, many in color. 
Manuscripts: Illumination and Paintings, late Middle Ages 
"An Introduction to Armenian Manuscript Illumination 
by the Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore"
Walters Art Gallery, 1974
no ISBN available
What can I say? It's Armenian. Covers the Middle Ages through 1600s. Mostly photographs, mostly in black and white.
"Manuscript Painting at the Court of France: the Fourteenth Century" 
by François Avril
George Braziller, 1978
ISBN 0-8076-0879-3 (paperback)
Again, self descriptive title. Many photographs, mostly color. 
"Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in New Zealand Collections"
by Margaret M. Manion, Vaera F. Vines, and Christopher de Hamel
Thames and Hudson, 1989
ISBN 0-500-23544-9
Contains some color photographs towards the front, more black and white photographs in the back and a whole lot of tiny text in between. 
"Time Sanctified: The Book of Hours in Medieval Art and Life" 
by Roger S. Weick
George Braziller, 1988
ISBN 0-8076-1159-1
Covers books of hours which were popular during the High Middle Ages. 40 color plates and 200 black and white photographs. 
Manuscripts: Illumination and Paintings, miscellaneous 
"Hebrew Manuscript Painting" by Joseph Gutmann
George Braziller, 1978
ISBN 0-8976-0891-2 (paperback)
A very interesting book that shows how the cultures that they lived in influenced the illumination styles of the Jewish illuminators. There's everything from Arabic to Italian Renaissance influence in this book. Many photographs, mostly color. 
"Illuminated Manuscripts – Masterpieces in Miniature 
by the Walters Art Gallery in Baltimore"
Walters Art Gallery, 1984
ISBN 0-911886-29-X
The Walters has one of the largest collections of medieval manuscripts in America and this book is a small sampling of the wide ranging collection. There's a smattering of many styles, running from Celtic to Persian. Mostly photographs, running about half and half between black & white and color. Go to this museum sometime if you can. It's where I got most of these books.
 
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