Leaves from a Calendar and a Psalter, in Latin, illuminated manuscripts on vellum

Estimate

3,000 - 5,000 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

3 separate pieces from two manuscripts, (a) the opening leaf of a Calendar, 178mm. by 131mm., verso with January written in black and red within an architectural frame in gold with black and red ink formed of two decorated vertical pillars supporting two arches which meet in a knot at the top, large roundel of Aquarius, 50mm. in diameter, showing a three-quarter length boy in gold emptying a vase into a green river, recto (the original fol.1r) with added prayers and hymn titles in a thirteenth-century hand, trimmed to edges, very rubbed, creased and bisected, Rhineland (perhaps Mainz), early thirteenth century; and (b) 2 bifolia (4 leaves) from a Psalter, a full leaf 162mm. by 116mm., 21 lines, written-space 130mm. by 80mm., written in brown ink in a small late romanesque bookhand, part of Psalms 115-18, versal initials in red, two large 4-line initials in red, one including a face, and parts of four very large painted initials infilled with orange, green, red and yellow with white heightening, including foliage with several dragons, human and animal faces, etc., an elongated kneeling figure in a green robe with a red belt (head cut away), worn, recovered from a binding, edges cut away with loss of text and decoration, western Germany (perhaps Black Forest region), early thirteenth century, in a salmon-red paper folder, morocco title label gilt

Catalogue Note

Boehlen Collection MSS 1213 and 1103 ES. The first item was bought from Quaritch, cat.1270 (2000), no.36, illustrated in colour. The text includes Saints Cunegund, Erhard, Valerius, Aldegund and Geminianus, all of which are consistent with an origin in the diocese of Mainz. The form of the architectural columns with arches meeting in a knot at the top and with the zodiacal roundel attached to the right-hand column recurs in almost identical form in Paris, BnF ms.lat. 1081, attributed to Würzburg (F. Avril and C. Rabel, Manuscrits enluminés d’origine germanique, I, 1995, pl.CXXVI). The pieces in the second item here show some of the flamboyant wildness of the Sanct-Blasien Psalter and other books from the Black Forest.