I've always rather liked the metal 'trees' holding up the ceiling at Stuttgart airport.

Another day, another book fair.

I've always thought it very sensible that Germans provide a little bin on your breakfast table.

Nice spot for a book fair.

Please join us for a joint event with the Institute of English Studies on 3 February: ‘Shelf Improvement: How to Collect and Present a Prize-Worthy Book Collection’. What makes a good collection, how to craft a winning entry, and how to avoid potential pitfalls.

#OTD in 2019: Stuart Young kindly got together some people to sing some of my music. The results are on SoundCloud (soundcloud.com/simon-42-1). Since then, I have had pieces published and a whole album of my music released.

We are having technological troubles with internet at the Society of Antiquaries and tonight’s lecture will likely not be broadcast online. Our speaker will be recording his talk at a later date.

A new reference book. Pleasingly, a presentation copy from Hans Schneider (1921–2017) to Albi Rosenthal (1914–2004), thus linking two of the great music dealers of the 20th century.

By Marguerite Ponce (1745–1800), who is largely known for her vignettes etc for books.

Given to the composer Henry Rowley Bishop (1787–1855), who wrote the music for the production (1816). Bishop was later the first musician ever to receive a knighthood.

This struck me as your kind of thing, @book-historia.bsky.social: theconversation.com/what-renaiss...

Not entirely sure why the change of order at the end of the alphabet here, but I was drawn to the overall design.

To London, and called in to see the Hogarth Stair, his largest painting, now open to the general public for the first time since the 1730s. Amazing.

Trade card for the Ghent bookbinder Geens de Croebele, from the 1840–50s. As Michael Twyman points out: ‘Most surviving trade cards produced by chromolithography in the years leading up to the middle of the nineteenth century are Belgian.’

A lovely title-page for this, an important collection of Spanish folksong texts by 'Mr Precise', i.e. the Basque folklorist Juan Antonio de Zamácola (1756–1826), from 1802.

A volume of 164 separately printed ariettes, compiled in 1784. For more details, see my latest e-list: simonbeattie.co.uk/wp-content/u...

Out now: my first list of the year. simonbeattie.co.uk/wp-content/u...

For Epiphany, my favourite image of the Magi (from Autun Cathedral) and a link to my piece Magi viderunt stellam. Do have a listen. soundcloud.com/simon-42-1/m...

A resolution worth making, if you can.

2025 has been a year of old books and new music. The obvious highlight was the release of the first album of my music. There haven't been any reviews (as far as I know), so if you'd like to help spread the word, please do share: www.orchidclassics.com/releases/orc... Thanks and HNY!

An interesting, if slightly depressing programme: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

The first appearance in print of ‘Hark! the Herald’ (altering Charles Wesley’s ‘Hark, how all the welkin rings’), in George Whitefield’s ‘Hymns for Social Worship’, 1753. Happy Christmas, everyone!

An attractive little book from 1830, printed on blue, white, and (pale) red paper so that its edges resemble the tricolore, which had just been reintroduced as France’s national flag following the July Revolution.

I recently read 'The Age of Innoncence' and was interested to see the Grolier Club mentioned. Would readers in 1920 have instantly known what it was?

A great concert this evening by @londiniumchoir.bsky.social with a wonderful programme. Thank you, Andrew Griffiths! Lovely to see Joanna Marsh and Tarik O'Regan, too.

Looking forward to this later, where they will be singing my piece The Angel and the Unicorn. soundcloud.com/simon-42-1/t...

I just backed Cambridge Schola's Debut Album on @kickstarter.com www.kickstarter.com/projects/cam...

A lovely example of ‘the most compact, and the most portable system of phrenology that has appeared,’ c.1835.

‘The only book printed at Cambridge with the imprint of a woman’ (Colin Clair). Mary Fenner (1703–1772) was briefly Printer to the University after her husband died. She printed a lot of books in London, but this appears to be the only one she produced in Cambridge.

It's 9.20 and Father Christmas is already in The Broadway. And he's brought his sound system.

After a carol concert on Sunday, last night it was carols in the pub instead! Again, raising money for the Hospice of St Francis.

Concert tonight! Hoping to raise pots of cash for the hospice.

The practice of sending greetings cards may have declined recently, but when did it all start? A wonderful group of late 18th-century Glückwunschkarten tells the story.

Beautiful light this morning.

An original playbill from 1830, with William Dowton as Falstaff. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William...

A new blog post, on the choice of orange for publishers' bindings: simonbeattie.co.uk/blog/archive...

These are made from actual twists of metal. Apparently it was called bullion fringe. There's always something new to learn. #booksellerlife

Some rather splendid Victorian wood type on a playbill from 1864.

Delighted to have attended this and hear my music performed in such an amazing space.

There are just a few tickets left for our concert on 5 Dec when @siglodeorovocal.bsky.social recreate a 17th century Christmas. Details at www.little-missenden.org/2025-program...

I've always loved Gibbons' tune 'Song 1'. kcctreasures.com/2025/12/01/a...

St Paul’s looking good this evening. #InThePink

A rather splendid woodcut on a Stratford playbill from 1862, featuring the Victorian child actor Lillia Ross.

Supralibros of Marie-Uranie de Noailles (b.1691), daughter of Anne-Jules, duc de Noailles (one of Louis XIV’s chief generals). #FemmeBibliophile #HerBook

With Thanksgiving tomorrow, I thought I’d share this, which shoehorns The Star-Spangled Banner‘s triple time into 2/4. You’re welcome.

Curious, and secretive, wording for a title-page (from 1817).

I heard at the weekend that St Paul’s Cathedral Choir is going to be singing my piece Advent Calendar at their Advent carol services this coming weekend, so that’s exciting. soundcloud.com/simon-42-1/a...

Modern language (and music) degrees are under threat at the University of Nottingham. Please do consider signing this petition. c.org/4FzYVvBstF

It's that day in The Broadway.

1968 Russian translation of Imogen Holst's study of Benjamin Britten.