The only known surviving copy of the 1594 edition of the Viking royal sagas by Icelander Snorri Sturluson, translated and printed for the first time in Norwegian.
The book is an abridged collection of Snorri’s sagas translated by magistrate, military commander and historian Mattis Størssøn. It is the oldest printed history of Norway, published in Copenhagen by Jens Mortensen 25 years after Størssøn’s death from a manuscript owned by historian Arild Huitfeldt.
It sold at auction in December for 1.3 million krone ($134,000), the highest price ever paid for a Norwegian book. Manchester City star footballer Erling Haaland and his father, retired footballer Alf-Inge Haaland bought the volume with the intention of giving it to their hometown. It was gifted to the Time Municipality so it could be placed on public display in the town’s library and inspire people to read and develop connections to their shared cultural heritage.Â
Except it’s printed in Danish. It clearly says “Ovset aff gammel Norske paa Danske” translated from old Norwegian into Danish. There was no written Norwegian in 1594 as the country was still under Danish rule.
2 Comments
The book is an abridged collection of Snorri’s sagas translated by magistrate, military commander and historian Mattis Størssøn. It is the oldest printed history of Norway, published in Copenhagen by Jens Mortensen 25 years after Størssøn’s death from a manuscript owned by historian Arild Huitfeldt.
It sold at auction in December for 1.3 million krone ($134,000), the highest price ever paid for a Norwegian book. Manchester City star footballer Erling Haaland and his father, retired footballer Alf-Inge Haaland bought the volume with the intention of giving it to their hometown. It was gifted to the Time Municipality so it could be placed on public display in the town’s library and inspire people to read and develop connections to their shared cultural heritage.Â
[https://www.time.kommune.no/aktuelt/english-version-erling-braut-haaland-gives-the-royal-sagas-and-reading-to-his-hometown.29039.aspx](https://www.time.kommune.no/aktuelt/english-version-erling-braut-haaland-gives-the-royal-sagas-and-reading-to-his-hometown.29039.aspx)
Except it’s printed in Danish. It clearly says “Ovset aff gammel Norske paa Danske” translated from old Norwegian into Danish. There was no written Norwegian in 1594 as the country was still under Danish rule.