A New Testament and a miniature prayer book, in Armenian, two decorated manuscripts on paper [Armenia, fifteenth and late sixteenth or seventeenth century]

Estimate

4,000 - 6,000 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

Paper

two books: (a) New Testament in Armenian, 240 leaves, 165mm. by 120mm., with losses of leaves at each end, now comprising the text from the middle of Matthew to the middle of Acts, double column, 19 lines in black ink in a bolorgir hand, rubrics and one-line initials in red, larger initials in stylised foliage and birds touched in red, blue and yellow wash, numerous coloured geometric and foliate cartouches in borders, others with delicately drawn birds and human-headed bird hybrids, two Gospels with elaborate frontispieces with half-page decorated headbands filled with foliage touched in red on iridescent green and vivid blue grounds, one full border of stylised foliage in same and opening lines of text formed from tiny birds and capitals in purple and red, fol.44 a stub, leaves with water damage at top and a few at front of book stuck together, leaves at each end loose, disbound but with contemporary binding structures at spine, Armenia, fifteenth century, fitted cloth-covered case; (b) prayer book in Armenian, 296 leaves, 110mm. by 74mm., wanting a few leaves from both ends, else apparently complete, single column, c.15 lines in black ink in a fine bolorgir script, rubrics and one-line initials in red, larger initials formed from stylised foliage and birds touched in red, blue and yellow wash, numerous coloured geometric and foliate cartouches in borders, others with birds and human-headed bird hybrids, each major break in text with decorated headband in tesselating coloured foliage on vivid blue grounds, first few leaves damaged at edges with slight losses to text, fol.252 partly cut away, a few later marginal notes, some smudges and spots, overall good condition, modern binding of brown leather over pasteboards, tooled in style of earlier and contemporary binding (both earlier boards included)