Breviary, Use of Troyes, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum

191 leaves (two of which are old replacements, fols. 8 and 137), 185 mm. by 130 mm., lacking single leaves after fols. 88 and 94, a leaf cancelled before fol. 153 and 2 blanks cancelled at end, else complete, collation: i^{6, ii8 [ii a replacement], iii-xi8, xii6 [of 8, lacking i and viii], xiii-xvii8, xviii8 [ii a replacement], xix10, xx7 [of 8, I cancelled], xxii-xxiii8, xxiv8 [of 10, ix-x cancelled], with horizontal catchwords, double column, 22 lines, ruled in brown, written-space 108 mm. by 79 mm., written in brown ink in a small gothic liturgical hand, rubrics in red, capitals touched in yellow, versal initials throughout in burnished gold on pink and blue grounds with white tracery, 2-line initials throughout in pink or blue with white tracery enclosing gothic leaves in blue, pink and orange, heightened in white, on burnished gold panels with marginal sprays of gothic ivyleaves in burnished gold and colours}, twenty-four Calendar miniatures in the outer margins of fols. 1r-6v in quadrilobed compartments on burnished gold panels, eleven large historiated initials with full borders, the initials 6 to 7 lines high, the borders formed of bar baguettes sprouting scrolling ivyleaves in colours and burnished gold, sometimes with dragons, last four borders infilled too with delicate stems in pale yellow-green with tiny flowers in red and blue, some wear, first page smudged, some Calendar miniatures rubbed and outer extremities cropped, miniature on fol. 25r a bit thumbed, some other small stains and signs of use, a few words erased from fol. 88r, micrographic words in Greek added on fol. 191r, generally sound and often in excellent condition, bound in early to mid-sixteenth century blind-stamped calf over wooden boards, panelled, central compartment filled with multiple impressions of parallel roll-tools, binding worn, lacking clasps (stubs remain with foliate metal pins), rebacked, corners repaired, paper endleaves

provenance

From the Boswell collection at Auchinleck House, in East Ayrshire, Scotland.  The library was principally formed by Alexander Boswell (1707-1782), Lord Auchinleck, judge, classical scholar and collector.  His son, James Boswell (1740-1795), the biographer, brought Samuel Johnson to Auchinleck in November 1773, during their tour of the Hebrides.  They spend the days of 2-3 November in the library, as it was too wet to go out.  The illuminated manuscripts were probably then in the famous 'Ebony Cabinet', which Dr Johnson was shown.  The house was inherited by James Boswell and it passed in turn to his son Sir Alexander Boswell (1775-1822), poet and politician, who took great interest in the library.  He and his elder son both died in 1822, the former in a duel, and his younger son died without heirs in 1857.  In 1873 Sir Alexander's daughter, Emily (d. 1898), married the fifth Baron Talbot of Malahide (1861-1921).  Their son, appropriately James Boswell Talbot (1874-1948), sixth Baron Talbot of Malahide, inherited Auchinleck from his aunt in 1905.  The house was gradually emptied of its treasures, which were moved to Malahide Castle, near Dublin, one of the oldest inhabited castles in Ireland.  Auchinleck was let in 1918; it is now owned by the Landmark Trust.  Malahide, in turn, became the scene for the celebrated 'discovery' of the vast archive of Boswell Papers, spirited away to America in a series of chivalric quests and luciferian deals lead by Dr A. S. W. Rosenbach and Lt-Col. Ralph Isham.  The papers are now at Yale University.  The seventh Baron, the nephew of his predecessor, died while travelling in Greece in 1973.   Malahide Castle was finally sold up in 1976 ("There wasn't a dud lot in it: every item was a priceless gem", according to Desmond Guinness, quoted in The Times, 26 February 2009).  The illuminated manuscripts, however, were sold by Lady Talbot privately in 1976 to a collector, a family friend, and they have passed by descent to the present owner.  The others appear below.  This is the first time they have appeared on the open market since at least the mid-eighteenth century.

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."

text

Breviaries of the distinctive use of Troyes are not common.  The Abbé Leroquais recorded only six in all of France, three from the thirteenth century, one from the later fifteenth century, and two which appear from his descriptions to be very comparable to the present manuscript in date and text, now Troyes Médiathèque mss 1780 and 1847 (V. Leroquais, Bréviaires manuscrits, IV, 1934, pp. 240-42, nos. 842 and 844).  The text is of secular rather than monastic use, and the manuscript doubtless belonged to a canon or priest of Troyes.  Seven such Breviaries described explicitly as being of the Use of Troyes are listed in the private possession of local clerics between 1370 and 1420 (A. Chalandon, Les bibliothèques des ecclesiastiques de Troyes du XIV^e au XVI^e siècle, 2001).  The manuscript comprises:

Folio 1r, a Calendar, graded, including the feast of relics in Troyes ("in ecclesia trecensis", the Sunday after Ascension day) and according duplex status to the two great martyrs of Troyes, Saints Savinian (24 January, plus octave) and Mastidia (7 May).  Folio 7r, a Breviary "ad usum trecensis", with a ferial Psalter (fol. 8r), with canticles and Litany (including SS. Savinian, Lupus, Frodobert, Savinia, Mastidia and other saints of Troyes and the region); the Office of the Dead (fol. 137r); the Commendation of Souls (fol. 144r), with a burial service; the Common of Saints "secundum usum trecensis ecclesie" (fol. 153r); and the Office of the Virgin "secundum usum ecclesie trecensis", with Suffrages also "secundum usum ecclesie trecensis" (fol. 185v) and other prayers.

illumination

The manuscript is daintily illuminated in the Parisian style of the very end of the fourteenth century, during the flowering of manuscript production under the patronage of Charles VI and the Duc de Berry.  For a very much grander Breviary but in similar style, cf. the Armagnac Breviary, most recently lot 57 in the sale in these rooms, 4 December 2007.  The present book is an early work by the Troyes Master or his workshop, known from about 1390 to around 1415.  To judge from the very high number of Books of Hours of the Use of Troyes illuminated by the artist, it is probable that he trained in Paris but actually worked in Troyes itself.  If not, this was a Parisian workshop with a specific and almost exclusive clientele in Troyes and nearby towns in Champagne (cf. M. Meiss, The Late Fourteenth Century, 1967, p. 359, and The Limbourgs and their Contemporaries, 1974, pp. 406-7; F. Avril in Très riches heures de Champagne, L'enluminure en Champagne à la fin du Moyen-Âge, 2007, pp. 82-89, nos. 2-5).

The miniatures here are:

Folios 1r-6v, twenty-four small Calendar miniatures in quadrilobed compartments on gold panels, c. 28 mm. by 28 mm., (1) a two-headed person feasting at table, (2) Aquarius emptying jugs into a river, (3) an old man warming himself by the fire, (4) two fish, (5) a bearded man pruning plants on a trellis, (6) a goat, (7) a crowned prince with bunches of flowers, (8) an ox, (9) a nobleman riding a white horse, with hound and falcon, (10) twins joined at the hip, (11) a peasant mowing grass with a scythe, (12) a lobster, (13) a peasant harvesting corn, (14) a lion, (15) a peasant threshing, (16) a maiden with palm and book, (17) two men trampling grapes in a vat, (18) a pair of scales, (19) a farmer sowing, (20) a scorpion, (21) a swineherd knocking down acorns for his pigs, (22) a centaur with bow and arrow, (23) a butcher about to kill a pig, and (24) a unicorn.

1, Folio 25r, David pointing to his eyes, historiated initial 'D' ("Dominus illuminatio mea", Psalm 26), 6-line, 30 mm. by 30 mm., full border.

2, Folio 36r, David pointing to his mouth, historiated initial 'D' ("Dixi custodiam", Psalm 38), 7-line, 36 mm. by 28 mm., full border.

3, Folio 46v, a fool in a white shift and fur hat, holding a bat and probably a ball, historiated initial 'D' ("Dixit insipiens", Psalm 52), 7-line, 35 mm. by 28 mm., full border.

4, Folio 57r, David lying crowned but otherwise naked in a river, gazing up to God among seraphim in the sky, historiated initial 'S' ("Salvum me fac", Psalm 68), 7-line, 35 mm. by 30 mm., full border.

5, Folio 70r, David playing the bells, seated and tapping with hammers on a set of bells on a beam above his head, historiated initial 'E' ("Exultate deo", Psalm 80), 7-line, 36 mm by 27 mm., full border.

6, Folio 82v, four priests singing from a manuscript on a lectern, historiated initial 'C' ("Cantate domino", Psalm 97), 7-line, 35 mm. by 29 mm., full border.

7, Folio 144r, a man rising from the dead in a churchyard, looking up towards the saints in heaven, historiated initial 'S' ("Subvenite sancti dei", first response at the Commendation of Souls), 6-line, 30 mm. by 26 mm., full border.

8, Folio 153r, All Saints, with SS. Peter and Paul in the foreground, historiated initial 'S' ("Scimus quam diligentibus"), 6-line, 30 mm. by 28 mm., full border.

9, Folio 176r, The Annunciation, the Virgin standing, Gabriel kneeling with a scroll, historiated initial 'E' ("Ecce virgo concipiet"), 6-line, 31 mm. by 28 mm., full border.

10, Folio 179v, The Nativity, Joseph asleep, the ox and ass at the sides, historiated initial 'P' ("Populus gentium"), 6-line, 29 mm. by 29 mm., full border.

11, Folio 182v, The Virgin and Child, seated in a meadow, the Virgin suckling the baby, historiated initial 'S' ("Surge beatissima virgo"), 6-line, 31 mm. by 30 mm., full border.