I’m always on the lookout for unexpected discoveries of rare or valuable manuscripts or artwork. Here are some I’ve read about since last year’s post.
A first edition of Edgar Allan Poe’s Tales (1845) was found in an attic and then sold at auction for $315,000.
The world’s oldest periodic table (dated between 1879 and 1886) was discovered at the University of St. Andrews.
An unfinished manuscript by Dr. Seuss, rediscovered six years ago, was completed and then published just this week: Dr. Seuss’s Horse Museum.
A drawing by Austrian artist Egon Schiele (1890-1918) was found at a Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Queens and is estimated to be worth $100,000 to $200,000.
Yes! A tiny fragment of the Gospel of Mark, about 4 centimeters square, including only a few words from chapter 1, which seems to be the oldest fragment yet, dating from somewhere between 150 and 250 AD. Strange thing is, it was discovered in an ancient dump in Egypt way back in 1903, but not publicized until 2018. Apparently it takes a really long time to sort out discoveries which are enormous stashes of hundreds of thousands of paper scraps. Significant to know: the words are the same as in all later manuscripts (the Word of God preserved), and it was part of an early codex (a book), not a scroll.
That is so interesting! Crazy that is was discovered in 1903.