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This article is about copies of historical documents. For the telecommunications technology, see Fax.

Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry, a famous illuminated manuscript, is on view to both the public and to scholars only in the form of a high-quality facsimile

A facsimile (from Latin fac simile, "make like") is a copy or reproduction of an old book, manuscript, map, art print or other item of historical value that is as true to the original source as possible using, normally, some form of photographic technique. It differs from other forms of reproduction by attempting to replicate the source as accurately as possible in terms of scale, color, condition, and other material qualities. For books and manuscripts, this also entails a complete copy of all pages; hence an incomplete copy is a "partial facsimile". Facsimiles are used, for example, by scholars to research a source that they do not have access to otherwise and by museums and archives for museum and media preservation. Many are sold commercially, often accompanied by a volume of commentary. They may be produced in limited editions, typically of 500–2,000 copies, and cost the equivalent of a few thousand United States dollars.

[edit] Facsimiles in the age of mechanical reproduction

Advances in the art of facsimile are closely related to advances in printmaking. Maps, for instance, were the focus of early explorations in making facsimiles, although these examples often lack the rigidity to the original source that is now expected.^[1] An early example being Abraham Orteliusmap]] (1598).^[1] Innovations during the 18th century, especially in the realms of lithography and aquatint saw an explosion in the number of facsimiles after old master drawings that could be studied from afar.^[2]

Facsimile of Edgar Allan Poe's original manuscript for The Murders in the Rue Morgue

[edit] Facsimiles and conservation

Important illuminated manuscripts like Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry are not only on display to the public as facsimiles, but now even scholars may only consult high-quality copies.^[3] However, unlike normal book reproduction processes, facsimiles remain truer to the original colors—which is especially important for illuminated manuscripts—as well as defects.^[4]

Facsimiles are best suited to printed or hand-written documents, and not to items such as three dimensional objects or oil paintings with unique surface texture.^[5] Reproductions of those latter objects are often referred to as replicas.

[edit] Books of which facsimiles have been made

A selection of some books that have had facsimiles made of them includes:

Alba Bible - see also Alba Bible
Barcelona Haggadah
Codex Sinaiticus - 4th century Greek Bible
Dead Sea Scrolls See also Dead Sea Scrolls
Gray's Anatomy
Gutenberg Bible
Hours of Catherine of Cleves
Book of Kells
Kennicott Bible See also Benjamin Kennicott
Me'ah Berachot
Megillat Esther
North French Miscellany
Parma Psalter
Perek Shirah
Rothschild Miscellany
Rothschild Prayerbook
Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry
Utrecht Psalter
Voynich Manuscript

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b C. Koeman, "An Increase in Facsimile Reprints," Imago Mundi, vol. 18 (1964), pp. 87-88.
^ Craig Hartley, "Aquatint," The Oxford Companion to Western Art, ed. Hugh Brigstocke. Oxford University Press, 2001; Grove Art Online, Oxford University Press, 2005. [accessed 20 April 2008].
^ Paul Lewis, "Preservation takes rare manuscripts from the public," New York Times - 25 January 1987 [accessed 19 April 2008].
^ Bronwyn Stocks, "The Facsimile and the Manuscript," - an exhibition in the Leigh Scott Gallery, University of Melbourne (on-line catalogue with additional images).
^ Richard Godfrey, "Reproduction reproductive prints," The Oxford Companion to Western Art, ed. Hugh Brigstocke. Oxford University Press, 2001; Grove Art Online, Oxford University Press, 2005. [accessed 20 April 2008].

[edit] External links

[koeman-0] C. Koeman, "An Increase in Facsimile Reprints," Imago Mundi, vol. 18 (1964), pp. 87-88.

[1] Craig Hartley, "Aquatint," The Oxford Companion to Western Art, ed. Hugh Brigstocke. Oxford University Press, 2001; Grove Art Online, Oxford University Press, 2005. [accessed 20 April 2008].

[lewis-2] Paul Lewis, "Preservation takes rare manuscripts from the public," New York Times - 25 January 1987 [accessed 19 April 2008].

[um-3] Bronwyn Stocks, "The Facsimile and the Manuscript," - an exhibition in the Leigh Scott Gallery, University of Melbourne (on-line catalogue with additional images).

[4] Richard Godfrey, "Reproduction reproductive prints," The Oxford Companion to Western Art, ed. Hugh Brigstocke. Oxford University Press, 2001; Grove Art Online, Oxford University Press, 2005. [accessed 20 April 2008].

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Contents

[edit] Facsimiles in the age of mechanical reproduction

[edit] Facsimiles and conservation

[edit] Books of which facsimiles have been made

[edit] References

[edit] External links