The Barbeaux Gradual, decorated manuscript in Latin, on vellum

165 leaves, 390mm. by 270mm., missing two leaves from the third gathering, and a gathering or so from the end, collation: i-ii^{8, ii6, iv-xvi8, xvii7 (i a singleton), xviii1 (later addition), xix-xxi8, xxii7 (last cancelled), remains of quire signatures on verso of last leaf, written space 300mm. by 195mm., 11 lines of text with accompanying music on 4-line red stave, in black ink in a good early gothic bookhand, rubrics in red, numerous 1-line initials in red and blue with contrasting penwork,} two hundred large variegated initials in same with organic infill, elaborate scrolling line-fillers in green or red on every page, with large rodent-headed animal line-filler (95mm. long) on fol. 152r, collects in coloured roundels in margin throughout, fifteen large initials 3- to 5-lines in height in blue or pink with white penwork to heighten, or formed of gripping and biting lacertine animals, birds and foliage in blue, red, yellow and pink, all with interlacing or spiralling infills, on coloured grounds (fols.1r, 11v, 13r, 58v, 72v, 86r, 89r, 94r, 111v, 133r, 146r, 148r, 156r, 159r, 162v; some with slight rubbing, the first partially obscured by more modern repair, see www.sothebys.com for more detailed cataloguing), slightly trimmed at edges, some water-damage, and discolouration of leaves where the book has lain open perhaps on the altar of the community, additions of text and leaves and repairs due to continued use by the community into the seventeenth century, else fair condition, strong in seventeenth century binding of dark leather over pasteboards, somewhat scuffed

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 Cistercian abbey of Barbeaux, founded in 1147-8 at Saint-Port, transferred in 1156 to Barbeaux in the Île-de-France. The present manuscript is inscribed "liber sancte marie de sancto portu" on fol.58v (as in BnF. ms.lat. 6081 and others). The abbey was burned by the English in 1420 and looted in 1590. This manuscript was later restored and used by the prior: "Ex choro Prioris 1666" on back pastedown. The abbey was finally suppressed in 1791. Nine other manuscripts are known from the abbey, all in public collections in France (Bondeelle-Souchier, Bibliotheques Cisterciennes dans la France medievale, 1991, pp. 10-11). 

The manuscript contains a gradual from the first Sunday after Advent to All Saints (1 November).

decoration

The decoration here is profuse, detailed and striking, and the animals and birds are given a level of detail which adds great charm. The style has clear parallels in books produced in the vicinity of Cambrai in the late thirteenth century (see the series of initials on cuttings: Stockholm, Nationalmuseet B1730-2, in Nordenfalk, Bokmålningar från medeltid och renässans, 1978, item 7, and references there), but there are also links to the art of north-eastern France (cf. Walters Art Gallery W.39 & 47, both; Randall, Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the Walters Art Gallery I, 1989, items 39 & 40), and this may well be a product of Barbeaux abbey itself.

The initials include:

(1) folio 1r, very large initial 'A' (opening 'Ad te levavi ...), 130mm. by 100mm., formed of coloured lacertine animals gripping each other, their tails extending into swirling interlocking infill, all on blue ground, the end of one tail extending some 210mm. down the margin to end in a foliate swirl enclosing a green bird, areas rubbed and left-hand side of initial and extensions covered by seventeenth-century paper repair to leaf, else fair

(2) folio 11v, very large initial 'P' (opening 'Puer natus est ...'), 130mm. by 115mm., in soft pink and blue with white scalloping and geometric designs to heighten, on pink ground and flanked by acanthus-leaf sprays, enclosing a four-part diamond shape containing serpent-like animals and floral sprays and flanked by drollery animals, two panther-like animals and two large birds, a blue bird atop the initial, and ascender descending 195mm. down margin and ending with an animal mask and a foliage swirl, some minor scratches and spotting, else good condition

(3) folio 13r, large initial 'E' (opening 'Ecce ad venit ...), 105mm. by 80mm., in blue and pink on contrasting grounds with acanthus-sprays, enclosing large lacertine animals, lower half with minor thumbing, else good

(4) folio 58v, large initial 'D' (opening 'Domine ne longe ...'), 105mm. by 115mm., in blue with white scalloping on pink grounds, enclosing four lacertine animals all facing each other at the central point, some smudging to left hand side, else good

(5) folio 72v, large initial 'R' (opening 'Resurrexi et adhuc ...), 125mm. by 105mm., in blue and pink on contrasting grounds, enclosing two lacertine animals entwined around central floral bosses, with two birds perched on foliage, some smudging to upper part of initial and rubbing to lower half of initial

(6) folio 86r, large initial 'V' (opening 'Viri galiliei quid ...'), 130mm. by 100mm., in blue and orange on contrasting grounds, and with four foliate sprays spiralling out from a central flower, thumbing to background, else good and fresh

(7) folio 89r, large initial 'S' (opening 'Spiritus domini ...'), 130mm. by 11mm., in blue on pink ground, the ends of the initial extending into the spiralling body of a lacertine animal and foliage, slight fading, else good condition

(8) folio 94r, large initial 'B' (opening 'Benedicta sit sancta ...'), 130mm. by 105mm., in blue and pink on contrasting grounds, enclosing six entwined lacertine animals, some thumbing to edges, and overall entire opening discoloured by being lain open (perhaps on an altar), else good condition

(9) folio 111v, large initial 'D' (opening 'Dominus secus ...'), 80mm. by 100mm.,  in blue and pink on contrasting grounds, enclosing two lacertine animals twirled in mirrored figure-of-eights, slight damage to edges of frame, else good condition

(10) folio 133r, large initial 'O' (opening 'Os iusti, meditabitur ...'), 75mm. by 80mm.,  in blue on pink ground, enclosing a long tailed winged dragon-like animal with two legs, its tail entwined around a central floral boss, slight rubbing to upper part, and small single scratch across initial, else good

(11) folio 146r, large initial 'D' (opening 'De ventre matris ...'), 79mm. by 80mm., in blue on pink ground enclosing four lacertine animals entwined and biting the bodies of two elongated winged creatures beneath them, slight rubbing to edges, else good condition

(12), folio 148r, large initial 'N' (opening 'Nunc scio vere ...'), 85mm. By 65mm., in orange with tessellated patterns on blue grounds, a small winged animal biting the base of the initial, and two birds hiding in his spiralling foliate tail, left hand side of initial washed out, else good condition

(13) folio 156r, large initial 'G' (opening 'Gaudeamus omnes ...'), 80mm. by 75mm., in blue on pink ground, enclosing two intertwined lacertine animals, faded and slightly rubbed in places, else fair condition

(14) folio 159r, large initial 'G' (opening 'Gaudeamus omnes ...'), 105mm. by 80mm., in blue and pink on contrasting grounds, infilled with spiralling foliage with a lacertine animal and two serpents, three large birds at the corners of the frame, good condition

(15) folio 162v, large initial 'G' (opening 'Gaudeamus omnes ...'), 80mm. by 70mm., in blue on pink ground, enclosing a single lacertine animal, slight thumbing else good condition