Collection of leaves from Italian illuminated and decorated manuscripts, in Latin, on vellum

5 leaves, including (a) single leaf from a decorated manuscript of Boethius' Consolatio Philosophiae, 247mm. by 173mm., with a large initial 'D' (opening "Dixerat orationis(que) cursum ..." the beginning of book V), 55mm. by 72mm., in purple-red touched in white penwork and enclosing full-length portrait of God the father as a bearded man enthroned, holding Christ on the Cross, all on blue ground heightened with white circles and stars, extremities of initial extending into margin with large fleshy leaves, single column, 27 lines in black ink in an excellent angular Italian hand, a number of small interlinear glosses in a contemporary cursive hand, Italy, early fifteenth century; (b) half a leaf bisected laterally from a monumental Lectionary, 265mm. by 357mm., with a large initial 'H' (opening "Haec domini verba ..." St. Augustine's Tractatus in Iohannem 101), 48mm. by 40mm., formed of two green and white fish and a green and yellow bird with red feet, all on blue grounds edged in red, double column, 23 lines in dark brown ink in a good early Gothic hand, rubrics in red, one 3-line initial in red, recovered from a book binding and with some folds, but in excellent condition, Italy (probably Tuscany), mid-twelfth century; (c) text leaf from a Lectionary, 328mm. by 233mm., single column, 22 lines in dark brown ink in a large rounded early Gothic hand, rubrics in red, three 3-line initials in red and blue, with delicate internal patterns left as blank vellum within bodies of initials, two with penwork tracery into margin, one terminating in a 'feathery' tail, in excellent condition, Italy, third quarter of twelfth century; plus two other text leaves from an early fourteenth century Psalter and a fifteenth-century Breviary, both with a number of simple initials with elaborate penwork tracery (the former with two line-drawn bird-like drollery creatures in margin), all in card mounts

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

The present lot includes two fine decorated Italian manuscript leaves. Item a is that of the end of book iv and the beginning of book v of the magnum opus of the celebrated scholar Boethius, his 'Consolation of Philosophy', written by that author c. 524, apparently when in prison awaiting trial for the crime of treason by the Ostrogothic king, Theodoric the Great.  Item b is a nice example of the twelfth-century practice,  apparently of Tuscan origin, of creating initials in manuscripts from the bodies of animals (often predominantly fish and birds) in pale pastel colours; close comparison can be made to a manuscript produced in Tuscany (perhaps in the region of Arezzo) in the second quarter of the twelfth century, now BnF. Latin 3862, and another  manuscript from Emilia or Tuscany, c. 1200, now BnF. N.a.l. 1576, fols 1-128 (Avril & Zaluska, Manuscrits Enluminés D'Origine Italienne I, 1980, nos. 74, pl. xxxi, especially that of fol. 115 & 99, pl. xli, especially fol. 5).

All from the collection of the late Dr F. Jossi.