Archive Proximity

[Mark Knowles]

I have very recently been contacted by two different researchers wanting to look at my very large 15th/14th century cipher archive. However, I would really like to be contacted by researchers wanting to help me expand my cipher archive.

Last year I visit the Milan State Archives to see if I could locate more ciphers. This was interesting, although I was unable to locate any surviving ciphers from a period 1425-1439 that I am particularly interested in. I intend to visit the Biblioteca Bonetta in Pavia and the University Library in Pavia later this year unless someone else does the work beforehand.

I think it would be of value for someone to search the Vatican Apostolic Archives for early 15th century ciphers. I intend to do this at some stage if nobody does it.
There are other archives which may well be worth searching.
Is there anyone else who is up for doing archival research in Italian archives?

I would be, although I am visiting Italy (Torino) for only a few days in late April/early May. I would be open to more long term research, and I do have a place to stay, but am currently unemployed.

It seems as if the Biblioteca di Storia e Cultura del Piemonte “Giuseppe Grosso” in Turin contains within it the Archivio della famiglia Carrone di San Tommaso which contains within it Milanese enciphered letters. The earliest of which seems to be dated to 1455. So this is rather later than I am interested in. However, it does indicate that ciphers can appear in unexpected places.

I will investigate where the best archives/libraries to hunt for early 15th century ciphers in Turin are likely to be. I must confess I am not hugely optimistic about what there is to be found in Turin, but who knows. Feel free to study online inventories to see if you spot anything interesting.

When it comes to archives near Turin I suppose there could be something in Archives in Asti or Vercelli or some other nearby city/town.