MS 173 is a hardback notebook measuring 197 x 161 mm. Wittgenstein has included dates between 24 March and 12 April 1950 in the text. The binding consists of red fabric on board with a red fabric spine. There is a small label affixed by the literary executors to the front cover bearing the reference ‘Sheet 5, 59’. Internally there are 100 leaves measuring 197 x 156 mm, each ruled with 20 lines. It had been foliated ff. 1-75, 75 (bis)-100, though not by Wittgenstein. The text is in German with one coded remark, written in pen using blue, blue/black and black ink. Some pages show water damage suffered during conservation in 1977.

Archival note

(2015–) Wittgenstein Source Bergen Nachlass Edition (WS-BNE). Edited by the Wittgenstein Archives at the University of Bergen under the direction of Alois Pichler. In: Wittgenstein Source, curated by Alois Pichler (2009–) and Joseph Wang-Kathrein (2020–). (N) Bergen: WAB.