Lot 28
  • 28

Fragment of a Book of Hours, in Latin [Italy, 15th and 17th(?) century]

Estimate
1,500 - 2,000 GBP
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Description

  • ink on vellum
129×95mm, vellum, i+47+i leaves, very imperfect and with some leaves out of sequence, 11 lines, 67×43mm, flourished initials throughout, illuminated initials and a full border added in the 17th(?) century imitating 15th-century styles, bound in 17th(?)-century black calf, gilt and blind-stamped

Catalogue Note

PROVENANCE

The first and last leaves with an unidentified circular ink-stamp with the initials ‘D U T’(?) in monogram next to a tree.

TEXT AND ILLUMINATION

Opening imperfectly in Psalm 39, with various non-consecutive parts of a Book of Hours, including parts of the Hours of the Virgin, and Lessons 1 and 6-9 of the Office of the Dead, ending imperfectly in Psalm 40.

The first page has been adapted to make it look like the beginning of a text, but the initials here and elsewhere in the volume are illogically placed. Two further illuminated leaves are in a private collection in the USA.