Paper: 1) Russian machine-made paper with a stamp of the Sergievskaia manufacture, Vladimir Governorate, had been made in 1844, 1858 (f. 20, 26, 48, 65, 67); 2) Russian machine-made paper with a stamp of Reiner’s manufacture, St. Petersburg Governorate, had been made in the 1850s (f. 140, 144, 146, 158, 160, 162, 167, 185); 3) Russian machine-made paper with a stamp of P. Sergeev’s manufacture, Penza Governorate, had been made in 1862-1866 (f. 34, 35, 46, 59, 114, 132, 134, 135, 136, 193, 197, 207, 209, 211, 227, 228). [ref.: Клепиков С.А. Филиграни и штемпели на бумаге русского и иностранного производства XVII-XX вв. М., 1959. № 185, 163, 179].
Writing style: half-uncial script by several hands. Decoration: headpieces, initials with vermilion; head-pieces with geometric ornament (f. 14); head-pieces with floral ornament (f. 96, 189); headpiece- appliqué (f. 27, 199, 209, 219); headings with vyaz (f. 14, 27, 46, 59, 74, 83, 139, 163, 173); initials with floral ornament (f. 38, 72, 73, 96, 109, 111, 139, 152); end-piece in the so-called style Playing Text [игра текстом] – triangle-shaped objects (f. 26, 110, 188). Canonnik is a type of liturgical books used for private (home or cell) religious services and containing Orthodox church services, chants and prayers. It is popular with old believers who don’t have ordained priests.
The manuscript doesn’t have a beginning (first folios are cut out). It includes the cell prayer rule, Sunday midnight office [полунощница воскресная], Canons and Troparions to Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, Saint John the Forerunner, Christian festivals, ceremonies and Saints. Binding: 18 century, the Moscow Print Yard, wooden binding, leather, five metal bosses, fragments of 2 clasps. Readers’ notes. Enclosure: a fragment from the Canon for the repose of a deceased person (Old Believer edition of the 2nd half of the 19th century – the early 20th century).
8º, size of book block –169 mm x107 mm, binding size – 180 mm x 113 mm, binding height – 47 mm. Enclosure – 2 f. (170 mm x 102mm); 238 f. 2 f. (enclosure); Condition: satisfactory. The manuscript was acquired by the community of Old believers-pilgrims living in the Tomsk-Chulym taiga. The manuscript has been restored (binding was changed) in the Taiga Skit of the Old Believers–Pilgrims (restoration date is unknown).
