glærimbla

Glærimbla is a term used in Icelandic manuscript studies to denote thin, translucent interleaving sheets inserted between pages in early modern Nordic books. The name derives from glær meaning clear or transparent and bla meaning leaf, literally “clear leaves.” The sheets were typically made from glassine or other translucent cellulose-based material and served to protect delicate ink, pigments, or gilding, reduce offsetting, and allow light to pass for viewing multiple pages without handling.

Attestations appear in 17th- and 18th-century inventories and codices from Iceland and Denmark–Norway; surviving examples are often found in illuminated breviaries, psalters, and sermons. The exact production methods varied; some sheets were plain, while others were printed or decorated on one side, sometimes with marginal rulings or small ornamental motifs.

In book conservation practice, glærimbla are of interest as an early form of protective interleave. Modern conservators typically replace them with archival-quality translucent interleaves or polyester films to prevent chemical interaction with manuscripts, or they digitize materials to minimize handling. The concept also relates to broader interleaving practices and protective housing in manuscript culture and can be compared with glassine, parchment shields, and contemporary interleaving papers.

See also: glassine; interleaving; book conservation; parchment.