Ian Ehling
Head of Department
Lot 26
ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS: APOCALYPSE, MACCABEES, PSALM 38, AND KINGS. A group of 4 illuminated vellum manuscript leaves,
11 December 2020, 10:00 EST
New YorkSold for US$3,825 inc. premium
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ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS: APOCALYPSE, MACCABEES, PSALM 38, AND KINGS.
A group of 4 illuminated vellum manuscript leaves, including:
1. Leaf from a portable Bible in Latin, with text from the opening of the Apocalypse, 152 x 102 mm, France, mid-13th century, double column, 51 lines in a very fine Gothic pearl script, rubrics in red, capitals struck with red, headlines and chapter numbers in red and blue, two- line initials in red or blue with trailing penwork in the contrasting color, and a 4-line historiated initial in blue, pink, red, and burnished gold showing St. John of Patmos writing. With neat marginal emendations in a tiny script. Slightly browned, a tiny nick to the initial descender. Matted.
2. Leaf from a portable Bible in Latin, with text from the opening of II Maccabees, France, mid-13th century, 152 x 102 mm, double column, 51 lines in Gothic pearl script, rubrics in red, capitals struck with red, headlines and chapter numbers in red and blue, verso with an inch- long wave-like marginal flourish in blue ink, recto with a five-line historiated initial in blue, pink, red, and burnished gold, showing a man with a spear standing defiantly before a King, a descender in colors and gold running almost the entire length of the column, and terminating in the tail margin. Light browning, otherwise fine. Matted.
3. Leaf with an historiated initial, from a portable Bible in Latin, with text from the opening of Psalm 38, France, mid-13th century, 152 x 102 mm, double column, 51 lines in Gothic pearl script, rubrics in red, headlines and versal initials in red and blue, two-line initials in red or blue with trailing penwork in the contrasting color, five-line historiated initial in blue, pink, red, and burnished gold showing King David pointing to his tongue as he receives a divine blassing from the figure standing next to him in a yellow robe, the initial with short marginal extensions. Slightly darkened, otherwise fine. Matted.
4. Illuminated vellum leaf from a portable Bible in Latin, with text from the Third and Fourth Book of Kings, France, mid-13th century, 153 x 103 mm, double column, 50 lines in Gothic pearl script, rubrics in red, capitals struck in red, running titles and chapter numbers in red and blue, one two-line initial in blue with red penwork, and a five-line historiated initial with an extrememly long tail incorporating the head of a beast and showing King Ahaziah afer falling on his rooftop. Four tiny contemporary corrections in the margins. Text of recto slightly faded, minor soiling. Matted.
1. Leaf from a portable Bible in Latin, with text from the opening of the Apocalypse, 152 x 102 mm, France, mid-13th century, double column, 51 lines in a very fine Gothic pearl script, rubrics in red, capitals struck with red, headlines and chapter numbers in red and blue, two- line initials in red or blue with trailing penwork in the contrasting color, and a 4-line historiated initial in blue, pink, red, and burnished gold showing St. John of Patmos writing. With neat marginal emendations in a tiny script. Slightly browned, a tiny nick to the initial descender. Matted.
2. Leaf from a portable Bible in Latin, with text from the opening of II Maccabees, France, mid-13th century, 152 x 102 mm, double column, 51 lines in Gothic pearl script, rubrics in red, capitals struck with red, headlines and chapter numbers in red and blue, verso with an inch- long wave-like marginal flourish in blue ink, recto with a five-line historiated initial in blue, pink, red, and burnished gold, showing a man with a spear standing defiantly before a King, a descender in colors and gold running almost the entire length of the column, and terminating in the tail margin. Light browning, otherwise fine. Matted.
3. Leaf with an historiated initial, from a portable Bible in Latin, with text from the opening of Psalm 38, France, mid-13th century, 152 x 102 mm, double column, 51 lines in Gothic pearl script, rubrics in red, headlines and versal initials in red and blue, two-line initials in red or blue with trailing penwork in the contrasting color, five-line historiated initial in blue, pink, red, and burnished gold showing King David pointing to his tongue as he receives a divine blassing from the figure standing next to him in a yellow robe, the initial with short marginal extensions. Slightly darkened, otherwise fine. Matted.
4. Illuminated vellum leaf from a portable Bible in Latin, with text from the Third and Fourth Book of Kings, France, mid-13th century, 153 x 103 mm, double column, 50 lines in Gothic pearl script, rubrics in red, capitals struck in red, running titles and chapter numbers in red and blue, one two-line initial in blue with red penwork, and a five-line historiated initial with an extrememly long tail incorporating the head of a beast and showing King Ahaziah afer falling on his rooftop. Four tiny contemporary corrections in the margins. Text of recto slightly faded, minor soiling. Matted.