Lot 176
  • 176

APOCALYPSE DE SAINT JEAN, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT BY NOZAL, ST BRIAC, 1930-1931, IN AN ASPREY BINDING

Estimate
3,000 - 4,000 GBP
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Description

  • Apocalypse de St-Jean. St Briac, 1930-1931
  • Metal, vellum
square 4to (165 x 140mm.), ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM, text in French, 49 leaves, 7 etched silver plates signed by Nozal, each with two green silk guards, binding by Asprey of London, embossed and chased silver panelled covers over green crushed morocco, upper cover decorated with 4 collet set cabochon sapphires, square enamel corner-pieces and a central enamel panel with a portrait of St John, lower cover with 8 heart-shaped enamel pieces arranged around a central collet set cabochon sapphire (enamels by Paul-Victor Grandhomme or Victoria Melita?), lettered silver spine covering, 2 clasps with a blue stone set in each strap, green silk endpapers, gilt edges, in velvet-lined folding box, metal covers slightly rubbed

Provenance

Princess Victoria Melita of Saxe-Coburg, later Grand Duchess Victoria Federovna of Russia (1876-1936)

Condition

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate
"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."

Catalogue Note

A BEAUTIFUL MANUSCRIPT, with elaborate decoration comprising animal and floral motifs, containing on the final leaf a portrait of Victoria Melita reading a religious book to her husband and a seated lady, beneath their coat of arms. The last metal plate contains the inscription "Ce livre a ete fait par S.A.I. la Grande Duchesse Kirill de Russie en collaboration avec Jacques Nozal et Julie Nozal"; Victoria and her husband Grand Duke Kirill Vladimirovich settled after the Russian Revolution in France, at Saint-Briac in Brittany. Julie and Jacques Nozal were artists, Julie in particular looking back to early Christian texts as models; this manuscript contains the text in an art nouveau script, with marginal decoration influenced by illuminated medieval manuscripts. Julie's father, Paul-Victor Grandhomme of Saint-Briac (1851-1944), was a master enameller and Victoria Melita learned enamelling from him and engraving from Julie.

For another manuscript made by the Nozals for (and probably with) Grand Duchess Victoria Melita, see sale in our rooms, 29 November 2016, lot 195 (a prayerbook in Russian and English).