Dionysius the Areopagite, pseudo

275x190mm, manuscript on vellum, 160 leaves, COMPLETE, i-xx8, frequent catchwords and leaf signatures, main text 29–30 lines, c.170x70mm, surrounded by glosses, sometimes on all four sides, rubrics and initials in red, contemporary REBDORF BINDING of white pigskin over wooden boards, blind-tooled with tool nos.1–5, 7–8, as reproduced in Kyriss, Verzierte gotische Einbände, II, 1953, pls.63-64 (‘Rebdorff, Augustiner, 1. Gruppe um 1474–1517’), including the ‘Rebdorff’ stamp at the top and bottom of each cover, as well as a few others, the pastedowns are consecutive leaves from a very finely written 12th-century lectionary with parts of readings from Matthew and Mark, the front cover with a paper title-piece: ‘C ii[?] Opera … Dionisi | … cu(m) commenta[?] …’, the spine with paper labels inscribed ‘Dionisii | Areopag[  ] | Opera | [  ]075.’ and ‘Man. Scripti[?] | Pretiosissima | [  ]440’, two clasp fittings, lacking centre and corner pieces

The condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing.
"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."

PROVENANCE

(1) Largely written by Jacobus Siber of, and for, THE AUGUSTINIAN ABBEY OF ST JOHN THE BAPTIST, REBDORF, Bavaria, with his colophon: ‘Scriptum pro maiori parte et finitum per fratrem Jacobum Siber, presbiterum professum huius monasterii Rebdorff’ (f.159r), the abbey’s ownership inscription: ‘Hic codex est Monasterii Sanctissimi Johannis Baptiste In Rebdorff, ordinis canonicorum regularium divi Augustini episcopi Eystetensis dyocesis’ (f.1r), and their named binding; recorded under ‘Dionisius’ with the shelfmark M.38 in their 15th–16th-century catalogue (see P. Ruf, Mittelalterliche Bibliothekskataloge Deutschlands und der Schweiz, III.2, Munich, 1933, at p.275); described in F.C.B. Hirsching, Versuch einer Beschreibung sehenswürdiger Bibliotheken Teutschlands, III.2, 1790, p.507 no.2. (2) CHARLES CHARDIN (1742–1826/7), of Paris, bookseller and collector; his sale by de Bure, Paris, 9 February 1824, p.18 no.177; bought by (3) SIR THOMAS PHILLIPPS, his no.2800, with his stamped crest and other usual markings; his sale in our rooms, 10 June 1896, lot 432 (‘432’ on label at foot of spine). (4) William O’Brien, bequest booklabel dated 1899.

TEXT

The volume contains the four treatises of the Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and the epistles, in the Latin translation of John Sarrazin, with glosses; the contents are listed in a calligraphic hand on the first leaf: ‘Hic continentur opera beati dyonisii Ariopagite: Liber [i] De celesti iherarchia, [ii] De ecclesiastica iherarchia, [iii] De divinis nominibus, [iv] De mistica theologia, [v] Epistolarum eiusdem; cum exposicione Petri Hyspani’.

The contents are described in more detail in P.O. Kristeller, Iter Italicum, III, 1983, p.191. James McEvoy shows that the glosses should be attributed to Thomas Gallus (d.1246), abbot of Vercelli, previously professor of St-Victor, Paris, and states that the present manuscript, one of only five known, ‘is a direct copy in both layout and text (in fact, in everything save decoration) of the Kaisheim text [i.e. Munich, Clm 7983]’ (see J. McEvoy and M.Dunne, eds., History and Eschatology in John Scottus Eriugena and His Time, at pp.188–9).