Bibliotheca Arnamagnæana - 01.06.1960, Page 318
Some Notes on Gks. 1812 4°.
By Foster W. Blaisdell, Jr., Indiana University.
1.1. Among the oldest Icelandic manuscripts is included one
section (pp. 47-68) of the codex Gks. 1812 4° of the Royal Library,
Copenhagen1. This section was published in a diplomatic edition
by Ludvig Larsson in 18832. In the fail of 1955 I had occasion to
inspect this manuscript in Copenhagen while working on a problem
in Old Icelandic syntax. I was struck by a sharp break between
pages 50 and 51 hoth in the context and in the color of the ink,
which suddenly becomes very much darker on page 51.1 also noted
several differences in features of paleography. My time was un-
fortunately then very limited, but I was able to investigate several
pages preceding and following this break. I became convinced that
although the paleography was very similar throughout, there were
certain distinet and consistent differences between the section
preceding page 50 (and including this page) and that following it.
These differences suggested to me the possibility of two scribes
rather than just one as is usually assumed.
1.2. Jon Sigur&sson considers this oldest section to be the work
of one hånd3, and this was also the opinion of Larsson4. Naturally
Larsson noticed the change in the color of the ink5, but his theory
was that the scribe left the first pages blank to be filled in at the
1 Didrik Arup Seip, Palæografi B, Norge og Island, Nordisk Kultur, Vol.
XXVIII: B (Stockholm, 1934), p. 41.
2 Ludvig Larsson, Aldsta delen af Cod. 1812 4to gml. Tegl. samling, Samfund til Ud-
givelse af gammel nordisk Litteratur, Vol. IX (Copenhagen, 1883). In referring to
both the text of this edition and to the manuscript itself I will use the page riumber-
ing employed by Larsson.
3 Diplomatarium Islandicum, Vol. I (Copenhagen, 1857-76), p. 181.
4 Larsson, op. cit., p. ii.
5 Larsson, op. cit., p. vi.