Sobieski Hours
This facsimile reproduces the 234 leaves of the volume, including 60 full-page miniatures and over 400 richly decorated narrative scenes.
Creating the Sobieski Hours Facsimile
The production of a facsimile involves multiple stages, with a number of specialists working on each process. From photographing and measuring the original manuscript, to adding patina (signs of age) to a variety of gold and silver foils, and from hand-stitching the quires (fours sheets of paper folded to form eight leaves), to crafting and gilding the metal clasps for the case, this was a long and intricate production process.
Below are a selection of images illustrating some of the stages and explaining them in more detail.
The facsimile can be seen displayed alongside the original manuscript in the Queen's Drawing Room at Windsor Castle from Saturday, 4 February until Friday, 24 March 2017.