Missal, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on paper [South-eastern Spain (probably Villanueva de la Reina, Jaén), dated 1515]

Estimate

4,000 - 6,000 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

Paper

296 leaves (3 blank, plus an endleaf at front), 305mm. by 210mm., 4 leaves cut away after fol.2, else apparently complete with contemporary foliation of main text after Calendar (fols "i-cclxxvii", missing out lxxi-lxxii but with no apparent loss to text, skipping over 2 leaves after lxxxvii and leaving last 4 leaves of index unfoliated, but followed here; note lxxxi-lxxxii are singletons), single column, c.22 lines in a late gothic bookhand, rubrics in red, one- and 2-line initials in red or pale blue (some larger initials variegated) with brown penwork, large initials variegated in both red and blue with elaborate penwork infill, one large initial in gold with green penwork, bezants and pale green petalled flowers (fol.95v), another in gold and blue on red grounds with similar green and gold flowers (fol.96v), fol.94 partly torn away with fragments of early printed devotional images on this and following leaf, ink-burning causing damage to leaves throughout, affecting leaves at front and end of volume most, some small holes and splits to paper, first 3 leaves with losses to centre of page (some of fallen away pieces tucked into volume, discoloured throughout and some worming, else fair condition, contemporary blind-tooled leather with knotwork designs within concentric rectangles over wooden boards, rebacked (some worming and scuffing, back board detached, front board becoming loose)

Provenance

provenance

(1) Written in 1515 for use in a monastery in Villanueva de la Reina, province of Jaén, south-eastern Spain (dating inscription in main hand on front pastedown and Mass for the local fifteenth- or sixteenth-century saint, Potenciana, on fol.129r, cult recognised in 1636 but as yet uncanonised).

(2) From the library of the Barons Monson in Burton: their armorial bookplate on front pastedown. Most probably acquired by William John Monson, 6th Baron Monson (1796-1862), and by descent.

Catalogue Note

text

The manuscript includes: Prayers (fol.ir); a Calendar (fol.xr); Masses for the entire year from the First Sunday in Advent (fol.1r) addressing “Fratres”; the Sanctoral (fol.94r); followed by other masses for various members of the community, illnesses, etc.