Francysk Skaryna

The Missing Canvas is actively seeking original editions printed by Francysk Skaryna, one of the defining figures in the history of printing in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. Our highest priority is the material printed by Skaryna in Vilnius.

Skaryna was born in Polotsk around 1490. The precise dates of his birth and death remain uncertain; he is known to have died before 1552. A physician, humanist, translator and publisher, he belonged to the first generation of East-Central European printers to use the new technology of the press for ambitious vernacular and liturgical publishing.

Between 1517 and 1519 in Prague, Skaryna issued twenty-three Cyrillic books of the Old Testament, now known collectively as the Ruthenian Bible. He later worked in Vilnius, where he established the first printing house in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and produced the Little Traveller’s Book around 1522 and the Apostle in 1525. For The Missing Canvas, these Vilnius editions are the most important part of the search. They stand at the beginning of the printed-book tradition of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and are exceptionally important witnesses to the history of printing in Vilnius.

What we are seeking

We are interested in original Skaryna material of every level of completeness: complete books, composite volumes, incomplete copies, individual leaves and previously unrecorded fragments. Early bindings, ownership inscriptions, bookplates and old family or institutional provenance are of particular interest.

Our first priority is Skaryna’s Vilnius printing: the Little Traveller’s Book of c. 1522 and the Apostle of 1525. We are particularly interested in complete or near-complete copies, important variants, individual leaves and fragments with convincing early provenance. We also actively seek the rarest Prague material, including the Psalter of 1517 and individual books of the Ruthenian Bible printed between 1517 and 1519.

Private collections

Original Skaryna books are overwhelmingly rare and many known examples are held by libraries and museums. Nevertheless, copies and fragments have also passed through private collections, and previously unrecorded material continues to emerge. We therefore welcome contact from private owners, families, antiquarian booksellers, researchers and anyone who may know of a Skaryna book or fragment that has remained outside public collections.

For exceptional original material, we are prepared to make a serious and competitive acquisition offer. A major copy with strong provenance can be considered quickly and discreetly. Information is also welcome when an owner is not presently considering a sale.

Confidential enquiries

If you own or know of an original Skaryna edition, an unidentified early Cyrillic book, a detached leaf, or fragments discovered in an old binding, we would be pleased to hear from you. Photographs, inscriptions, old catalogues and provenance information are all useful for an initial assessment.