Eyþór Guðmundsson rescues ancient Icelandic books

Book collector Eyþór Guðmundsson collects, restores, and shares Iceland’s literary heritage from centuries past. His Instagram account, @oldicelandicbooks, has become a digital window into a world of 17th-century bindings, centuries-old Bibles, forgotten manuscripts, and unexpected historical treasures tucked inside crumbling pages. There, you can watch how Eyþór meticulously repairs ancient Icelandic books.

Eyþór’s collection exceeds 500 volumes, many of which were printed at Iceland’s earliest presses, including Beitistaðir, Leirárgarðar, Hólar, Skálholt, Hrappsey, and Viðey. But this is no dusty archive: he invites guests into his home library, allowing them to see, touch, and experience these books firsthand. He views restoration as both an art and a duty, carefully washing, drying, repairing, and rebinding pages by hand, using only acid-free materials and techniques that he taught himself, which date back centuries.

In recent years, his meticulous work has yielded remarkable discoveries, such as 500-year-old vellum fragments from the ancient Icelandic lawbook Jónsbók, as well as a 1907 measles-era letter found in a psalm book during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this letter, a farmer requests that no one visit his farm during the measles pandemic. Eyþór doesn’t collect to possess, but to rescue and revive the past. He gives public lectures, builds scale models of old printing farms, and sparks curiosity in visitors from Iceland and beyond.

This is a passion, not a profession. For Eyþór, it’s a lifelong mission to preserve and communicate Iceland’s literary soul, one rescued page at a time.

What was the first book that truly sparked your passion for collecting?

It was the first printing of Hervarar saga and Heiðrek from 1671; the book is in its original leather binding. It deals, for example, with the shieldmaiden Hervör and the magic sword Tyrfing. The saga is remarkable for many reasons; it is one of the primary sources we have about the way of life of the Vikings in earlier centuries and was an inspiration for the writer J.R.R. Tolkien in creating The Lord of the Rings.

Why is it important for you to open your personal library to the public?

The Old Icelandic Books project aims to preserve the cultural heritage represented by Icelandic books. I do this not only by saving the books themselves. An effective way to spark people’s interest is to allow them to handle the books and look at them. This is the only place in Iceland where you can sit down and hold some of the world’s oldest and rarest books.

What is the most challenging part of restoring an ancient book?

The most challenging aspect is the time it takes to repair a book. It can take me from a few days to many months to repair one book.

How do you track down rare Icelandic books today?

There are only two second-hand bookstores in Iceland. The first one is Bókin on Hverfisgata and Bókakaffið in Ármúli. I have obtained books there. Furthermore, people have started contacting me via Facebook or Instagram to donate books to save.

Which book in your collection of Icelandic books has the most fascinating backstory?

Many books come to mind. However, I think I will choose the so-called Latin Bible, which was printed in Germany in 1578. My copy once belonged to Pétur Pétursson, who served as the bishop of Iceland from 1866 to 1889. The bible bears his signature, but more importantly, inside the bible, I discovered a 400-year-old manuscript of one of Iceland’s oldest legal books. The manuscript was a chapter of Jónsbók, which details the law for whaling. These statutes are still in force in Icelandic law today.

What role does Iceland’s literary heritage play in national identity, in your view?

It doesn’t play as significant a role as it really should. The literary history of Icelanders is remarkable. Many of the stories written in Iceland during the Middle Ages have had a profound influence on global culture. Examples include movies, TV shows, music, and literature. Just consider Marvel’s Thor,  the TV series ‘Vikings, ’ and The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit by  J.R.R. Tolkien, and Wagner’s operas.

What are your favorite places and activities in Iceland?

I was a member of an Icelandic rescue team for many years and engaged in extensive mountaineering. For example, I learnt mountain rescue in Ourey, Colorado. Iceland has many great places to visit. However, my favorite place is Nauthusagil; there is just something magical about that place.

What advice do you have for first-time visitors to Iceland?

Iceland is called Iceland for a reason, dress well and have good shoes, because the weather can change very quickly. Familiarize yourself with your destination and follow safety instructions.