Lot 2
  • 2

Collection of leaves from Romanesque manuscripts, on vellum [eleventh to thirteenth century]

Estimate
5,000 - 7,000 GBP
Log in to view results
bidding is closed

Description

  • Vellum
10 leaves (5 bifolia): (a) bifolium from a colossal volume of Saints' lives (each leaf 450mm. by 305mm.), with an extremely large initial 'P' (opening "Patermus proconsul episcopo ...", the life of St. Cyprian the Martyr, d.258), 165mm. high, in red penwork panels enclosing plain vellum or green wash, stylised foliate infill, double column, 42 lines in a fine Romanesque bookhand, piece trimmed from lower border of one leaf with loss of 12 lines, an inscription dated 1681 naming "D. Thomasio da Belmont" (perhaps Belmont-sur-Lausanne), Italy (perhaps Lombardy), c.1100; (b) bifolium from a monastic Lectionary (addressing "Fratres" on a number of occasions), 460mm. by 295mm., 14 simple red initials, rubrics in ornamental red capitals, double column, 30 lines in an angular Romanesque hand with pronounced fishtailing to ascenders, some lines with simple musical neumes, probably Italy, c.1100; (c) bifolium from a large Lectionary, 560mm. by 405mm., with readings for the feast of St. Thomas the Apostle, 3 July, opening with a 3-line simple red initial, remnants of other initials and a rubric on second leaf (scuffed and mostly erased), double column, 42 lines, Italy, second half of the twelfth century; (d) bifolium from a homiletic work, 610mm. by 425mm., double column, 43 lines, Italy, mid twelfth century; plus a bifolium from a thirteenth-century Lectionary, 475mm. by 350mm.; all recovered from bookbindings and with scuffs, stains and small losses