Western Manuscripts

/

Lot 48
  • 48

Psalter, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum

Estimate
8,000 - 12,000 GBP
Log in to view results
bidding is closed

Description

286 leaves (last blank), 139mm. by 94mm., complete, collation: i-iv10, v6, vi-xiii10, xiv8, xv-xix10, xx6, xxi-xxix10, xxx6, with horizontal or vertical catchwords (alternately in the first half of the book, thereafter most vertical) with some traces of leaf signatures, 14 lines, ruled in ink, written-space 79mm. by 47mm., written in dark brown ink in a very fine regular rounded gothic hand, a few headings in red, versal initials throughout in blue, 2-line illuminated initials for each psalm in burnished gold on panels divided into red, green and blue with delicate tracery in liquid gold, six large illuminated initials 4 lines high in similar colours, including one (fol.135r) with two-sided illuminated border of lush coloured leaves and flowers and tiny gold bezants with brown hairline penwork, very large historiated initial (half-page, 7-line) on fol.1r in lush coloured leafy design on a burnished gold ground and with a full-length illuminated border of coloured flowers and leaves on tendrils with gold bezants and whiskery brown penwork, very slight rubbing of first leaf, a few insignificant stains and signs of use, some ink a little rubbed on the smooth side of the vellum, generally in very fine condition, original gilt edges elaborately gauffered and inscribed (see below), edges a bit rubbed, full twentieth-century red morocco, title gilt, Hornby arms on sides in gilt, vellum endleaves, silk marker, by Katharine Adams (1862-1952), with her mark inside lower cover

Provenance

provenance

(1) Possibly originally bound for a member of the Medici family, perhaps even Lorenzo de’ Medici (1449-1492), the Magnificent, ruler of Florence from 1469.  The book preserves its original untrimmed medieval edges, with the gilt elaborately gauffered.  Extremely unusually, these include the words of the title of the book, beginning on the upper edge, “HOC * EST / PSALTERIV[M] * DAVIDIS / PROP * HETE”, and in the centre of each edge, indicated here by *, appears to be a coat-of-arms, of which the clearest, on the upper edge, almost certainly shows the five palle of Medici.

 

(2) Charles James Spence (1848-1905), artist, of North Shields; his sale in our rooms, 5 November 1906, lot 409.

 

(3) Charles Harry St John Hornby (1867-1946), founder of the Ashendene Press; his MS 3, bought in 1907; with his Ashendene bookplate and his arms on the covers.

 

(4) Major John Roland Abbey (1894-1969), his JA 3162, bought from Hornby’s executors, 16 September 1946, with his red morocco booklabel gilt; sold in 1947.

 

(5) H.W. Pratley (1905-1987), president of the Antiquarian Booksellers Association 1959-60; his sale in our rooms, 1 December 1987, lot 41, to Maggs; afterwards their cat.1088 (1988), no.1, bought by the present owner.

Catalogue Note

illumination

The fine half-length portrait of David plucking his psaltery is almost certainly attributable to the Florentine illuminator, Francesco di Lorenzo Roselli (1448-1508), who worked for many of the great patrons of his time, including Matthias Corvinus, Federico da Montefeltro and especially for Lorenzo de’ Medici between 1473 and 1478.  Cf A. Garzelli, Miniatura Fiorentina del Rinascimento, 1985, II, esp. figs. 543-46; and S. Boorsch, ‘Francesco Roselli’, Cosimo Roselli, Painter of the Sistine Chapel, ed. A.R. Blumenthal, 2001, pp.208-44, nos.28-38.