St. Jerome, Epistolae, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum

329 leaves (plus 2 original endleaves), complete, 360mm. by 255mm., collation: i ^{2, ii-vi 10, vii 8, viii-xxxi 10, xxxii-xxxiii 10, slightly misbound with innermost bifolia of gatherings 4 and 22 interchanged, written space 240mm. by 160mm., single column, 35 lines of fine humanistic script in two hands (break at fol. 241r), with headings and the table of contents in red, guides to the rubricator survive at the edges of leaves indicating that the volume is untrimmed, spaces left for Greek words to be inserted, numerous simple 2-line in blue,} two large white-vine initials in gold on a red, blue and green ground, the first with a butterfly (fols. 1r, 139v), minor wormholes at front, else outstanding condition, contemporary binding of leather over thick wooden boards (8mm. thick), blind-tooled in Venetian style with roll-stamps and interlace ornament around a central diamond, restored and rebacked, remains of four clasps, in fitted case

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 manuscript contains one hundred and thirty numbered letters from, to, or otherwise associated with St. Jerome: "In nomine sancte et individue trinitatis amen. Incipit liber epistolarum sancti Ieronimi presbiteri"; from "Damasi pape ad Jeronimum super tribus questionibus libri Geneseos. Epistola .i.^a", to "Ad Pamachium de morte Pauline. Cxxx.", as in the arrangement of the Schoeffer edition of Mainz published in 1470. The manuscript ends on fol. 323v: "Finito libro. sit laus & gloria Christo".

Jerome (c. 347-420) is undoubtedly one of the founders of Western civilisation. He was commissioned by Pope Damasus I to revise the Old Latin text of the Four Gospels from the best Greek texts, and as his letters show, slowly over the course of a number of years he extended this task to encompass the Vulgate translation of the entire Bible. He stands colossus-like as a writer straddling and uniting the gulf between the ancient and medieval worlds. His De viris illustribus, written in Bethlehem in 392, is a comprehensive catalogue of notes on one hundred and thirty five authors from St. Peter down to Jerome himself. It became an important blueprint of both the Carolingian Renaissance as well as the humanist one, a guide to the important texts which should be sought out and preserved. Jerome became the humanists' saint. In renaissance art he was portrayed hunched over a manuscript in his library, with his symbols the lion or occasionally the owl in the background.

Jerome's letters are important and deeply personal, as it is only through their survival that we can trace the character of the man, and the gradual development of his thought and studies. It is here we see the tireless scholar, the gifted translator and strong-minded exegete, albeit often irascible and on occasion acidic in his criticisms. While his letters were greatly admired and often copied in the circle of the recipients, it seems that Jerome himself was personally responsible for the 'publication' of the collection as a whole, and he names the book as one of his own in his De viris illustribus. They never slipped from sight, and Lowe's supplement to CLA (1971) lists some thirty-eight manuscripts, beginning with Naples VI.D.59, a sixth-century Italian copy in uncials.

The early renaissance revived the classical tradition of letter-writing. The rediscovery of the letters of Cicero and the revival of those of Jerome linked ancient and papal Rome in accord with the educational agendas of Nicholas V (pope 1447-55) and Pius II (1458-64). The present manuscript was made in Rome, and its vast size sets it apart from many of its contemporaries. It remains a large and beautiful book in near flawless condition.