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+--- Thread: Villa Mondragone, Villa Vecchia, and Villa Torlonia (/thread-2906.html)
Villa Mondragone, Villa Vecchia, and Villa Torlonia - ReneZ - 25-08-2019
The 2012 celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 'discovery' of the Voynich MS by Wilfrid Voynich took place in Villa Mondragone, on 11 May.
At the time of the event, I already had some doubt about both the year and the location of this discovery.
By now, it is clear that he did not discover the set of manuscripts including the Voynich MS, but he certainly bought it sometime somewhere.
For the year, it really seems that 1912 is right, even though the deal may have been started in 1911. It even seems that the deal may have been concluded in May, but we may never find out for certain. There is a 'Terminus Ante Quem' for 26 June, when two of the manuscripts from this sale were seen in Budapest.
For the place of the sale, I have no more news (yet).
One of the hotels that was recommended to visitors of the Villa Mondragone event was Villa Vecchia, at the foot of the hill on which Mondragone lies (You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.). I don't remember who among the attendants stayed there. I was in the centre of Frascati. We didn't know then, but this Villa also has a very minor role in the history of the MS.
The main set of documents that the Jesuits wanted to salvage from confiscation in 1873, and which were marked as 'from the private library of P. Beckx' were taken from Rome to a Villa in Castel Gandolfo called the Villa Torlonia, which was also hosting the Jesuit novitiate (moved there from Rome). This set of documents included the well-known volumes of the Kircher correspondence.
It stayed there until 1919, when the the prince of Torlonia decided to cancel the rent of the place to the Jesuits. The collection of manuscripts was taken back to Rome, while the novitiate moved to the above-mentioned Villa Vecchia in the town of Monteporzio Catone. This villa was turned into a hotel much later.
RE: Villa Mondragone, Villa Vecchia, and Villa Torlonia - nickpelling - 25-08-2019
I stayed at the Villa Vecchia, but I don't recall seeing any (supposedly) shady antiquarian book dealers trying to close deals with Jesuit intermediaries there. Perhaps I should have looked harder at breakfast.
RE: Villa Mondragone, Villa Vecchia, and Villa Torlonia - ReneZ - 26-08-2019
Wasn't the Canadian film crew there too?
In any case, these places draw like magnets.
I once stood in front of a building in Florence, taking a picture, without knowing that this was where Voynich had had his book shop. I remember a similar thing happened to you in a Chinese restaurant in Shaftesbury avenue...
RE: Villa Mondragone, Villa Vecchia, and Villa Torlonia - Davidsch - 27-08-2019
This week I've read that around 1462 in Germany it was decided by law, that a copy of your testament had to be deposited at the council through a notary office. Then it might also be possible that the VMS could have been mentioned somewhere in a will. For example, if the Jesuits themselves came into possession of the MS through a testamentary transfer of books.
RE: Villa Mondragone, Villa Vecchia, and Villa Torlonia - ReneZ - 27-08-2019
This is being looked at, but a lot of old records have been scrapped in the course of history. Not only lost through negligence or fire, but also intentionally deleted.
RE: Villa Mondragone, Villa Vecchia, and Villa Torlonia - nickpelling - 27-08-2019
(26-08-2019, 05:45 AM)ReneZ Wrote: You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login to view.I once stood in front of a building in Florence, taking a picture, without knowing that this was where Voynich had had his book shop. I remember a similar thing happened to you in a Chinese restaurant in Shaftesbury avenue...
I indeed ate in the basement part of the New Mayflower restaurant long before knowing it was where Voynich had worked. But that was because I liked Chinese food. ;-)