Art

Art facsimiles have become an indispensable medium for the conservation and study of original manuscripts. Centuries after their creation, manuscripts that have survived the vicissitudes of time are treasures—part of the cultural heritage of mankind—and as such they are highly guarded and not easily accessible. Their conservation is naturally of utmost importance but conservation cannot be an end in itself, it can only be justified if there is onward transmission. It is here where facsimiles play a fundamental role.

Thanks to the union of the latest techniques in photography, printing and paper manufacture with refined craftsmanship (binding, tooling, application of gold & silver) these facsimiles today not only provide the best source for the study of masterworks preserved now in the collections of museums, libraries or private individuals, but together with their companion study volumes, spread the knowledge of the original manuscript and give us a new dimension of the work.

You will find on these pages information on illuminated manuscripts, works of literature, religion, natural history, cosmography, and design. OMI's comprehensive database and catalogs of published works provides easy and quick determination of the availability and price of a specific title. For catalogs—organized by genre or publisher—please go to our catalogs pages. Some of the most important facsimiles issued in the last ten years are listed under featured works. For special promotions and attractive "prepublication" offers see special offers. Contributions which describe the facsimile process can be found in the articles pages.