# Are there any books similar to The Codex Seraphinianus?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-books-similar-to-the-codex-seraphinianus/738304
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [November 22, 2015, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-books-similar-to-the-codex-seraphinianus/738304 "2015-11-22T20:55:46Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2015, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-books-similar-to-the-codex-seraphinianus/738304/1 "2015-11-22T20:55:46Z")

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I received a copy of [The Codex Seraphinianus](http://www.wired.com/2013/10/codex-seraphinianus-interview/) for Christmas last year (mildly NSFW link, illustrated nudity/sex), and it’s one of my favorite possessions. Aside from being gorgeous, I find the concept fascinating - an art book in which the entire book is a single work of art. I was thinking of asking for other books like it this year, but a cursory Google search seems to indicate that it’s a bit more unique than I’d anticipated.

I’d like to know if anyone has heard of anything like it. I’ve heard, briefly, about illuminated books - are there any commercially available prints of those? Something in the vein of [The Cabinet of Natural Curiosities](http://dwarfandgiant.com/cabinet-of-natural-curiosities-the-complete-plates-in-colour-1734-1763-albertus-seba/) would also be excellent.

And I can’t find a reliable version of [The Voynich Manuscript](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voynich_manuscript) anywhere. Are there any?

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### Author: ![Bonaventure](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@Bonaventure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonaventure)
#### Post date: [November 22, 2015, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-books-similar-to-the-codex-seraphinianus/738304/2 "2015-11-22T21:15:35Z")

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I’m replying just because I’m interested in the answer as well. The Codex is on my wish list, though I don’t have the money for it right now.

There are some facsimile copies of the Voynich manuscript on Amazon, but they seem to be just color print outs of the publicly available scans.

I really like books in non-traditional formats.

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### Author: ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)
#### Post date: [November 23, 2015, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-books-similar-to-the-codex-seraphinianus/738304/3 "2015-11-23T12:56:08Z")

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> [@Small\_Hen](#):
>
> I’d like to know if anyone has heard of anything like it. I’ve heard, briefly, about illuminated books - are there any commercially available prints of those?

What’s your budget like? Decent illuminated facsimiles can be … [pricy](http://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsimiles/the-grimani-breviary-facsimile).

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### Author: ![Small\_Hen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ad7895/32.png) [@Small\_Hen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Hen)
#### Post date: [November 24, 2015, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-books-similar-to-the-codex-seraphinianus/738304/4 "2015-11-24T02:38:56Z")

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> [@MrDibble](#):
>
> What’s your budget like? Decent illuminated facsimiles can be … [pricy](http://www.facsimilefinder.com/facsimiles/the-grimani-breviary-facsimile).

Unless that is an original, hand made, centuries old book, there is no reason for that.