Ferill Skarðsbókar

Abstract

This article traces the history of the Skarðsbók manuscript of apostles’ lives (SÁM 1), discussing first its history at the church at Skarð on Skarðsströnd and speculating on who was most likely to have brought it out of Iceland. The author tells of its discovery in the library of Sir Thomas Phillipps and how it came into the possession of Lionel and Phil Robinson in the 20th century. Discussed are the events leading up to the Icelandic state banks’ decision to bid for the manuscript when it was finally put up by the Robinson brothers for auction with Sotheby & Co in 1965. The steps taken by the Icelandic state banks to finance the purchase of the manuscript are detailed, as well as the author’s interactions with the auctioneers, Hambros Bank, and the bookseller Torgrim Hannas, who was asked to make the bid on the book. Vignir Guðmundsson’s description of the auction in Morgunblaðið is cited, and the article concludes with a discussion of the two repair operations performed on the book and its homecoming, when the Icelandic state banks donated it to the Icelandic people.