1534 risultati
1891rif. ST15049London: Seeley and Co 1891. No. 85 OF 160 COPIES ON LARGE PAPER. 382 x 275 mm. 15 x 10 3/4". 4 p.l. 111 1 pp. Publisher's gilt-stamped vellum upper cover with titling and the Tennyson coat of arms BOTH COVERS WITH LOVELY HAND-PAINTED DESIGN BY JOHN T. BEER upper cover with urn at foot and blooming rose branches emanating from a medallion bearing the date 1902 and curving around the title and escutcheon lower cover with branches of apple blossoms dividing the board into quadrants each inhabited by a bird in flight smooth spine with gilt titling edges untrimmed. With frontispiece photographic portrait of Tennyson 31 vignettes in the text and 14 copper-plate engravings after drawings by Edward Hull. Verso of title page and limitations page with ink stamp of Gloucester County Library. Weber "The Fore-Edge Paintings of John T. Beer" 195. Small scratch near head of front joint minor soiling and rubbing to edges of boards mild foxing mostly marginal and not affecting copper engravings otherwise an excellent copy clean and fresh internally with wide margins the binding especially bright the pretty decoration perfectly preserved. AN EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE COPY. This very large format deluxe illustrated work describing the places associated with England's beloved Poet Laureate Alfred Lord Tennyson is enhanced by former owner John T. Beer's Arts & Crafts-style embellishments to the vellum binding. After retiring from a successful career as a clothier Merseyside book collector Beer ca. 1826-1903 occupied himself decorating books from his library mostly with fore-edge paintings but in a score of instances with painted bindings. Jeff Weber considers Beer "one of the most highly skilled artists of fore-edge paintings" noting that he was the first artist to put his signature to such works. Weber's catalogue raisonnée of Beer's works lists 189 fore-edge paintings 22 painted bindings including this one #195 and three bindings designed by Beer and executed by Fazakerley of Liverpool. The design here is clearly influenced by the Arts & Crafts movement and Beer owned several works by William Morris including a Kelmscott Press "Godefrey of Bologne" on the vellum covers of which he had painted a design of tulips and lilies. Among the locations discussed and pictured in the "The Laureate's Country" are Tennyson's childhood homes in Somersby and Bag Enderby Trinity College Cambridge where he matriculated and his estates Farringford on the Isle of Wight and Aldworth in West Sussex. Seeley and Co unknown
rif. ST12083fItaly ca. 1150. 406 x 273 mm. 16 x 10 3/4". Double column 42 lines in a fine rounded early proto-gothic hand. With rubrics in red one three-line initial "I" and A PANELLED 13-LINE INITIAL "F" all of these on the very faded recto and consequently indistinct. Formerly used in a binding with text on the recto unreadable the verso with a narrow band of darkening along one edge not obscuring text edges very wormed but 90 percent of the worming in the margin with very little damage to the text; some obvious condition problems but the large and beautiful script on one of the sides entirely legible and certainly very pleasing. This leaf comes from a very large copy of one of the major texts by one of the great popes of the early Middle Ages and it is notable for the spaciousness and elegance of its script. The sermon here is based on the Gospel reading for Easter Sunday John 20:1-9 which reports Mary Magdalene's discovery of the empty tomb and her running to tell the apostles what she had--and hadn't--found. Given the fact that the passage under discussion celebrates the most critical event in Christianity the opening phrase "Fractus longa molestia stomachus" is unexpected who would have thought it appropriate to mention protracted gastrointestinal problems and probably more effective as a result. Gregory says he is so weakened that he had given up explaining the Gospel to his flock but now he must resume. He recounts how Mary Magdalene told John and Peter about the empty tomb how John arrived first but did not enter the sepulcher and how Peter the tardier one did. Gregory then gives an allegorical interpretation of this episode: John he says represents the Synagogue Peter the Church; the Jews were prior to the Christians but they hesitated on the brink of belief in the Son of God while the Christians entered into full belief. unknown
1450rif. ST11774-85Paris ca. 1450. 159 x 108 mm. 6 1/4 x 4 1/4". Single column four lines of text on the verso 15 on the recto in a very pleasing gothic book hand. Attractively matted. Recto with a line filler in colors and gold verso with a one-line initial in burnished gold on a maroon and blue background with white tracery and a three-line "D" in blue and white enclosing a spray of violets in the same colors the capital on a burnished gold ground the same side WITH A FULL SWIRLING BORDER of acanthus leaves flowers and berries and many burnished gold ivy leaves ENCLOSING A BLOODY ILLUMINATED MINIATURE OF THE MASSACRE OF THE INNOCENTS measuring approximately 78 x 54 mm. Fore and lower margins on the side with the miniature a bit rubbed and with a faint patina reflecting frequent use also minor fading and loss of paint and gold in the same place otherwise in fine condition THE MINIATURE itself REMARKABLY WELL PRESERVED WITHOUT ANY EROSION OF PIGMENT. This leaf comes from a Book of Hours decorated by extremely skilled members of what must have been a first-class workshop. The Massacre of the Innocents cannot help but be a moving subject and the composition here as well as the painter's considerable ability add to the emotional impact in the present miniature. The center of the scene is dominated by the gold-armored gray-bearded soldier whose sword is raised over the head of a woman clinging to her son. The blood-spattered foreground is littered with the dismembered bodies of infants looking like so many broken dolls. On the left we see a row of modest cottages providing considerable depth as they recede toward distant hills. On the right stands a crowd of grim-faced soldiers all as elderly as their commander and seemingly following orders that are unwelcomed; it is perhaps the acute sadness in their faces that makes this scene especially memorable. The clear sky green fields and serene blue mountains in the distance contrast markedly with the horrific events unfolding. unknown
1910rif. ST14374England ca. 1910. 392 x 287 mm. 15 3/8 x 11 1/4". 32 leaves with text in an attractive italic hand all separated by tissue guards. SUMPTUOUS OLIVE GREEN STRAIGHT-GRAIN MOROCCO ELABORATELY GILT BY ZAEHNSDORF stamp-signed on front doublure and with their exhibition stamp on rear turn-in covers with densely stippled floral roll border enclosing a large frame formed by drawer handle tools and floral tools on a stippled ground; central panel with large cornerpieces rampant with flower tools circlets volutes and much stippling; raised bands spine compartments heavily gilt in a similar style gilt titling RED MOROCCO DOUBLURES with opulent dentelle frame surrounded by gilt-tooled green morocco turn-ins red watered silk endleaves with gilt edging all edges gilt.ma WITH 76 BLACK & WHITE PHOTOGRAPHIC REPRODUCTIONS OF PORTRAIT MINIATURES BY RICHARD COSWAY ANDREW PLIMER AND OTHERS mounted and enclosed by hand-painted burnished gold frames EACH PORTRAIT WITH HAND-ILLUMINATED TITLE in red blue green and burnished gold. Verso of front endleaf with book label of Thomas Agnew & Sons Old Bond Street Library. A bit of wear to front joint a little rubbing to extremities occasional mild rumpling to head or tail of vellum leaves isolated small marginal smudges otherwise a fine specimen the vellum creamy and bright the illuminations shining and the binding quite sound and lustrous with gold. Composed of vellum leaves this is a unique luxurious catalogue of a miniatures collection with delicate script lovely illumination and a stately binding by one of London's foremost workshops. State-of-the-art photographic reproductions of mostly 18th century miniatures are juxtaposed here with calligraphy and illuminations harking back to Medieval bookmaking. Each portrait is surrounded by a gold frame and accompanied by a hand-written description with an illuminated title giving biographical details of known subjects and a physical description of the miniatures whenever they are labelled simply "Portrait of a Lady" or "Portrait of a Gentleman." The scale of this production--which is nearly twice the size of most illuminated manuscripts of the early 20th century--and the splendor of the binding point to a patron of considerable means likely either the proprietors of or a client of the Agnew art dealers. The Agnew firm began as printsellers in Manchester in 1817 but over the course of the 19th century became one of the principal British galleries under the leadership of the founder's son William. A London branch opened in 1860 and the Bond Street flagship in 1875. William Agnew 1825-1910 did much to foster the careers of British artists Holman Hunt Frederick Leighton and Edward Burne-Jones and his clients included Henry Tate whom he encouraged to found the celebrated Tate Gallery. The binding here is a superb example of the work of the Zaehnsdorf firm long a top-ranked English bindery. Born in Pest Hungary Joseph Zaehnsdorf 1816-86 served his apprenticeship in Stuttgart worked at a number of European locations as a journeyman and then settled in London where he was hired first by Westley and then by Mackenzie before opening his own workshop in 1842. His son and namesake took over the business at age 33 when the senior Joseph died and the firm flourished under the son's leadership becoming a leading West End bindery. Over the years Zaehnsdorf employed a considerable number of distinguished binders including the Frenchman Louis Genth who was chief finisher from 1859-84 and trained a number of others including Roger de Coverly and Sarah Prideaux. A family-run business until 1947 the Zaehnsdorf bindery continued to produce consistently attractive and innovative designs executed with unfailing skill. It is generally understood that the firm reserved the use of its oval stamp showing a binder at work seen here for their finest bindings including those entered in exhibitions. unknown
1460rif. ST12835Paris ca. 1460. 195 x 143 mm. 7 3/4 x 5 1/2". Single column 16 lines in a gothic book hand. Minor feast days in red and blue major feasts in gold numerous gold and painted line fillers the five "A" initials and the "KL" highly decorative and painted pink and blue against a gold background gold and pink bar surrounding the text on three sides BOTH SIDES OF THE LEAF WITH EXTRAVAGANTLY DECORATIVE BOTANICAL FULL BORDERS with two small birds hidden within and INCORPORATING TWO MEDALLION MINIATURES DEPICTING THE LABOR OF THE MONTH SOWING AND THE SIGN OF THE ZODIAC SCORPIO FOR OCTOBER. ◆IN VERY FINE FRESH CONDITION with gold and paint extraordinarily bright. The extraordinarily lavish and animated full borders coupled here with extensive use of brushed and burnished gold--for major feast days for decorative border elements and even for the hundreds of seeds being sown!--suggests that this calendar folio comes from a Book of Hours that was commissioned for a person or persons of high rank since it would have been very costly. The leaf comes from a manuscript that included numerous roundels depicting the lives of St. Catherine and the more obscure St. Alexius and it is possible that the Book of Hours belonged to a husband and wife for whom these saints served as patrons. The style of the delicately painted figures especially in the roundels indicates an artist who was familiar with the early output of the Coëtivy Master who according to Avril and Renaud can be identified with Colin d'Amiens who made a great name for himself in Paris not as was previously thought with Henri de Vulcop who made a great name for himself in the Loire region. The master takes his name from the Book of Hours now in the Austrian national library that he painted for Olivier de Coëtivy and his wife Marie de Valois one of some 30 works that have been identified as his. Although there is considerable Flemish influence that can be seen in his work he has links for example with Simon Marmion Colin d'Amiens was active in Paris during the third quarter of the 15th century and with Barthélmy van Eyck and Jean Fouquet was among the three great artists of this period patronized by the French court--Avril and Renaud says flatly that our master was "the most important artist practising in Paris in the third quarter of the century from about 1450 to 1485." For more on the Coëtivy Master see Avril and Reynaud pp. 58-69. unknown
1882rif. ST12705Paris: A. Quantin 1882. UNIQUE COPY ON VELLUM printed for M. A. Werlé. 206 x 140 mm. 8 1/8 x 5 1/2". xxxii 247 pp. 1 leaf colophon.With a bio-bibliographical notice by Fernand Drujon. Pleasing burgundy Jansenist crushed morocco by Canape et Corriez stamp-signed in gilt on front turn-in dated 1930 on rear turn-in raised bands turn-ins richly gilt marbled endpapers all edges gilt on the rough. Decorative head- and tail-pieces throughout and eight engraved plates comprised of a frontispiece portrait in four states one on vellum three on paper and an allegorical vignette also in four states. Verso of front free endpaper with ex-libris of Jean Furstenberg. ◆Two small dark spots to upper cover a couple of leaves with naturally occurring minor discoloration to vellum but A FINE COPY--especially clean fresh and bright internally and in a lustrous unworn binding. Given its illustrious provenance and its singular status as the only copy printed on vellum this is a quintessentially bibliophilic copy of the poems of French cleric and diplomat Cardinal François-Joachim de Pierre de Bernis 1715-94. Admired as a witty epigrammist at the court of Louis XV where Madame de Pompadour presided Bernis composed poems on such conventional themes as love and the natural world but also verses contemplating manners and mores fashion independence and love of country. Since none of his poems was published before his death he was not widely known as a poet during his lifetime but in another sphere he performed important service to his country as France's ambassador to Rome. He provided shelter and succour there for refugees from the French Revolution earning the papal epithet "Protector of the Church of France." The present work was printed for Count Alfred Werlé whose father had inherited the Veuve Clicquot Champagne house from the Widow Clicquot. Alfred took over the operation in 1884 and greatly expanded the Veuve Clicquot-Ponsardin vineyards. The volume subsequently passed into the library of the great collector Jean or Hans Furstenberg 1890-1982 who put together one of the finest collections of 18th century books ever assembled. In 1974 the Furstenberg collection was sold en bloc to Dr. Otto Schäfer whose marvelous library had already become distinguished for its fine and historic bindings. A. Quantin unknown
1420rif. ST12005fFrance probably Paris ca. 1420. 210 x 146 mm. 8 1/4 x 5 3/4". Single column recto with five lines of text verso with 16 lines all in a very pleasing very regular gothic book hand. Attractively matted. Rubrics in red verso with a one-line and two two-line initials as well as a line filler in colors and burnished gold recto with a one-line initial and a line filler in the same style and with a quite large five-line "D" in pink and white with enclosed floral diapering all on a burnished gold ground the same side WITH A LOVELY FULL BORDER of swirling hairline stems bearing numerous leaves and berries of burnished gold and with sprays of acanthus leaves and flowers in multiple colors spilling from the corners this ENCLOSING A POIGNANT ARCH-TOPPED MINIATURE OF THE REMOVAL OF CHRIST FROM THE CROSS measuring approximately 85 x 60 mm. the miniature within a thin gold frame and enclosed in turn on three sides by bars in colors and gold the scene showing two men on ladders unfastening Christ's lifeless body from the cross while Joseph of Arimathea waits below clutching cloth to be used for a burial shroud as the Madonna at the lower left of the picture reaches up to clasp her son's bloody arm. With a small cross stitched in white thread in each upper corner. ◆A little soiling right along hinge edge a few smudges in the border a couple of tiny flakes of paint missing from the cross and the sky otherwise fine the vellum clean and fresh the colors rich and the gold lustrous. This is an especially sorrowful scene depicted with power grace and sensitivity by an artist demonstrating very considerable skill in composition and execution. The scene is well designed with the cross providing a device for focus at the center of the miniature. Nicodemus identified by his expensive attire is atop a ladder behind the cross lowering Christ's limp body onto the shoulder of another man probably a servant whose ladder is set against the front. Despite the fact that the corpse is more bones than flesh the artist has made it seem a heavy burden draped over the shoulder of the man as he walks backward down his ladder. Fully stretched out Christ's left arm is held for balance by Nicodemus at the top right while the other arm hangs down toward the Virgin. While we can only see her back her image evokes great pathos as she reaches up with both hands to grasp the mangled arm of her son his blood running from his hand onto hers. Joseph of Arimathea whose position anchors the right side of the picture looks on with concern tightly holding linen to shroud the body. St. John and Mary Magdalen conventional participants in the Deposition are not present in this miniature. While it is possible and even likely that the same artist produced this scene and the miniature of Christ Carrying the Cross this one is better as the faces are more deftly painted and the folds in the various garments are more clearly defined. unknown
1440rif. ST19540aMetz ca. 1440. Leaf: 162 x 124 mm. 6 3/8 x 4 7/8". Frame: 308 x 258 mm. 12 1/8 x 10 1/8". Single column three lines of text under the miniature obverse with 18 ruled lines five of which contain text in a gothic book hand. Attractively matted and framed. Recto with one three-line initial in gold on pink and blue ground WITH A LARGE MINIATURE OF THE CRUCIFIXION WASHED IN BLUE Christ on a painted gold cross flanked by two thieves on painted gold crosses surrounded by throngs of people including the Virgin St. John Mary Magdalene and numerous soldiers all in an arched gold frame inside a three-sided painted and gilt baguette and a FULL BORDER of colorful vine sprays and flowers inhabited by a peacock. See: "The Jeanne Miles Blacburn Collection of Manuscript Illuminations" nos. 29-38; Avril & Reynaud pp. 182 & 190. Minor soiling/browning right at inner edge away from border and image otherwise IN VERY FINE CONDITION THE MINIATURE REMARKABLY WELL PRESERVED WITHOUT ANY LOSS OF PAINT. This stunning miniature with its memorable nocturnal scene comes from a very fine Book of Hours probably executed by Henri d'Orquevaulz or d'Orquevaulx or a member of his workshop. D'Oquevaulz was active during the second quarter of the 15th century in Metz the cultural and commercial capital of Lorraine during the period and the center of a growing book trade. According to the catalogue of the Jeanne Miles Blackburn Collection in the Cleveland Museum of Art which owns 10 leaves from the original manuscript the parent Book of Hours can be localized based on the Lorraine dialect found in the French text on some of the leaves including the present example and because the calendar singled out two bishop-saints of Metz Clement and Arnoul. Although little is known about d'Orquevaulz his dated signature in the colophon of a Livy manuscript that he illuminated for an alderman of Metz indicates that he was active in that city in 1440. Artistic affinities with northern European styles make it possible that d'Orquevaulz had emigrated from the Netherlands or Germany to Lorraine; another possibility one that Avril and Renaud suggest is that the master himself was from Metz but that he had German associates perhaps from the Rhineland area. According to these two scholars the painter's use of large flat areas of colors is more typical of the Rhineland the Netherlands or Bohemia than of France; in any case they praise his "exquisite color harmonies." The artist has outdone himself in the present miniature rising to the height of pathos and making it one of the most extraordinary leaves we have ever offered for sale. In contrast to the bright colors used in Books of Hours even to depict the most serious scenes the present leaf presents a remarkable visual nocturne with the figures and buildings painted in the same shades of blue as the sky suggesting that heaven itself is darkening at the death of Christ. Mary Magdalen kneels at the foot of the cross while St. John supports the devastated Virgin as a soldier pierces the Savior's side with a lance. The miniature is crowded with figures we see well-defined faces of no fewer than 18 persons and two horses but the artist has not lost his dramatic focus as Christ on his cross of brushed gold dominates the scene. In choosing to make this a darkened composition the artist has risked obscuring detail but his skill has been equal to his concept here as he has used a diluted blue paint that allows for a very successful delineation in various shades almost like grisaille this technique not incidentally has prevented the cracking and erosion so commonly seen with the normal thick applications of typical cobalt blue. The result of the decision to show the world in eclipse at Christ's death is to heighten and universalize the drama here to such an extent that the scene leaves a powerful and lasting impression. The text on this leaf is entirely in French in rhyming verse. Roughly it translates as: "Jesus on the cross did hang / And took upon himself our sins / Gave to humankind redemption / Rendered up his soul to God. / The sunshine lost its glowing light / The earth did tremble and did crack / Grieving for the bitter death / Suffered by the son of God." Although the original Book of Hours was dismembered some time in the 20th century extant leaves suggest that its visual program was much bigger than usual and probably the result of an important commission by a wealthy patron--something likely to be painted by one of the chief artists in the workshop. Illuminated manuscripts from Metz--let alone examples of this quality--are uncommonly seen on the market. unknown
rif. ST17767BEGermany second quarter of ninth century. Each leaf approximately 305 x 205 mm 12 x 8". Single column 29-30 lines in a large and extremely legible Caroline minuscule. Rubrics in red each leaf with one or more large initials in red. Text with a few contemporary corrections and erasures. Accompanied by a copy of a letter from Bernhard Bischoff dating the manuscript leaves. ◆Vellum a little toned and soiled one leaf with an old repair to the bottom third of the outer margin minor folds small stains and other trivial imperfections but IN EXTREMELY FINE CONDITION the lettering clear and legible the vellum in excellent shape and the margins surprisingly comfortable. These are nothing short of magnificent specimens and remarkable survivals with wide borders all around with entirely clear and distinct script with only minimal overall dust soiling and with strength and freshness to the vellum; the leaves present a powerful redolence of a time as far in the past as one could optimistically hope to encounter among Western manuscript artifacts in the marketplace. The script here is an outstanding example of the highly legible Caroline minuscule that dominated Europe in the ninth century characterized by clear letter forms ample spacing between letters and between lines and very few abbreviations the most common occurrence being "&" for "et" occurring anywhere in a word. The parent manuscript was almost certainly a Homiliary containing sermons by various Christian authors to be said throughout the year with the present leaves containing passages from part of Leo I Sermo XCV and parts of a tractatus on Luke by Ambrose as well as other lections readings for the Vigil of the Feast of St Peter and the Feast of the Octave of Pentecost and the opening of a sermon of Leo I for Feria IV mensis IV; four other sister leaves are known and contain additional passages from Leo I and Ambrose as well as Pope Gregory I and readings for various feast days. The presence of these texts suggest that the leaves might have come from a Homiliary originally composed by Paul the Deacon at the behest of Charlemagne a version that was widely circulated throughout the Carolingian Empire in the eighth and ninth centuries. Although the scriptorium in which these leaves were produced has yet to be determined we can say with confidence that they date to the second quarter of the ninth century due to the style of the script as stated in the accompanying letter by esteemed paleographer Bernard Bischoff. Much of their history over the last 12 centuries remains a mystery but we do know that three of the extant leaves were in the possession of dealer Bruce Ferrini by 1989 with his stock number beginning "VM" and two bear the stock numbers and price codes of Quaritch. All were acquired by Martin Schøyen and became part of the renowned Schøyen collection MS 587. Very early leaves such as these often survive only because they come from manuscripts that were dismembered with the leaves then being reused as binding scrap; when later recovered they are typically in lamentable condition. The present leaves by contrast met no such fate--they have always been intact and untouched by the binder and so show none of the staining and trimming that are almost always present with repurposed leaves from demolished manuscripts. This notably fine state of preservation is rarely seen on the market. As a consequence these specimens are not only among the earliest leaves we have ever offered for sale but also some of the most extraordinary survivals we have ever acquired. We have bought and sold only a handful of ninth century leaves in our 45 years in business; in the present case because we were extremely lucky to acquire a small collection of six leaves from a single source we are able to offer them here at an advantageous price point. unknown
1470rif. ST17764Delft ca. 1470. Leaf: 175 x 122 mm. 6 7/8 x 4 3/4"; Frame: 250 x 195 mm. 9 3/4 x 7 3/4". No text on recto or verso. In an attractive wooden frame. A FINELY PAINTED MINIATURE OF THE HARROWING OF HELL within an arch-topped compartment the mouth of hell depicted on the left with a fiery red interior and five people emerging from it the figure of Christ on the left holding a cross on a long staff and half-clothed in a pink and blue robe the background with a castle in the distance ALL OF THIS BENEATH A VERY DETAILED ARCHITECTURAL CANOPY suspended in the sky AND THE WHOLE WITHIN A FULL BORDER of acanthus leaves and other foliage and flowers in reds blues greens yellows and brushed gold along with very many small burnished gold ivy leaves and buds on hairline stems a small stork in the bottom border and a large delicately shaded angel in the left border. ◆Left margin trimmed very close to decoration just escaping loss and the other three margins ample mild darkening right at fore and tail edge but not reaching into borders otherwise IN FINE CONDITION the colors rich and true and the burnished gold still shimmering. This extraordinary miniature notable for its uncommon subject matter memorable imagery and fine workmanship was produced by a talented artist belonging to the stylistic group known as the Masters of the Delft Half-Length Figures. The subject here is infrequently depicted in Books of Hours: the Harrowing of Hell appears as a full-page miniature in only three of the 119 prayer books described by Roger Wieck in his "Time Sanctified" and three others contain a Harrowing depiction inside an initial. Christian theological tradition tells us that after his crucifixion Christ went to liberate souls from Limbo--a location inhabited by those barred from entry into Heaven because they died before the Redemption. In our scene Christ wrapped in a regal cloak and carrying a long staff his hands and feet still bleeding from the wounds he received on the Cross reaches into an absolutely wonderful Hellmouth to extricate Adam and Eve and other naked souls while the recently deceased and original saint John the Baptist still clad in an animal skin garment waits patiently for his turn to emerge. The great maw of Hell as depicted here has bulging eyes a distended snout thickly matted hair and a bad complexion; his gaping mouth punctuated by sharp gray teeth glows red hot and one can tell from the creature's expression that he is loath to comply with this rescue of souls. In addition to its compelling subject matter there is a high level of artistic achievement here including delicately molded figures impressively detailed architectural elements and a lovely color palette. The elegance and quiet sophistication observed in this miniature distinguishes the artist responsible for this work as a particularly talented member of his circle. Active from about 1450-80 the Masters of the Delft Half-Length Figures were named by James Marrow after the angels and other figures whose upper bodies are typically found emerging from a cloud within the borders. Although the present leaf uncharacteristically contains a full-length angel in the border it shares other stylistic similarities such as the elaborate architectural canopy hovering over the main composition; and it particularly resembles the work of the artist of Keble College MS 77 an illuminator described in "The Golden Age of Dutch Manuscript Illumination" as "one of the more articulate of the group" whose "figures are more fully modelled and his palette . . . deeper and brighter" than that of his contemporaries. Because the subject of the present miniature goes beyond the standard image program seen in routine productions and because of the high level of artistic accomplishment seen here this leaf was almost certainly part of an elaborate Book of Hours produced in response to an important commission. unknown
1470rif. ST17765Delft ca. 1470. Leaf: 172 x 115 mm. 6 3/4 x 4 1/2". Frame: 242 x 190 mm. 9 1/2 x 7 1/2". In an attractive wooden frame. A FINELY PAINTED MINIATURE OF THE NATIVITY within an arch-topped compartment the parents of the Christ Child kneeling before him as he lies on the ground outside the stable Joseph uncharacteristically supporting himself with a cane in his left hand and holding a long burning candle in his right two diminutive angels in attendance the head of an ass sticking out of the stable window in the background to the left AND IN THE RIGHT BACKGROUND A CHARMING DEPICTION OF THE ANNUNCIATION TO THE SHEPHERDS ALL OF THIS BENEATH A VERY DETAILED ARCHITECTURAL CANOPY suspended in the sky AND THE WHOLE WITHIN A FULL BORDER of acanthus leaves and other foliage and flowers in reds blues greens yellows and brushed gold along with very many small burnished gold ivy leaves and buds on hairline stems a small stag in the bottom border and a large delicately shaded angel who mirrors the Virgin's pose in the left border verso blank. ◆A hint of soiling to edges of vellum but IN VERY FINE CONDITION without any paint erosion with the colors rich and true and with the burnished gold still shimmering. Notable for its attractive color scheme fine craftsmanship and unusual composition this vibrant leaf was produced by a talented artist belonging to the stylistic group known as the Masters of the Delft Half-Length Figures. The lack of text and blank back of this leaf clearly suggest that it was produced as a singleton intended for insertion in a Book of Hours and its subject matter indicates that it would have faced the opening for the third hour of the day Prime. The present depiction of the Nativity is out of the ordinary in that it is combined with another scene the Annunciation to the Shepherds a subject that usually begins Terce in the Hours of the Virgin. It is a testament to the artist's ingenuity and compositional skills that he has managed to incorporate these two scenes so seamlessly; in fact rather than pulling focus from the main subject celebrating the birth of Christ this secondary scene adds additional interest to the picture and amplifies the storyline. Though the Annunciation to the Shepherds takes place at a distance from the Nativity we immediately grasp their connection and can see how arrival of humanity's savior was felt far beyond the manger. It is also interesting to note how much the artist has emphasized the figure of Joseph. Not only does he take up as much space as the Virgin but the candle and cane he holds frame the Christ child and communicate a strong suggestion of a protective parent the Virgin is doing her part by praying hard but she is more passive. In addition to its engaging subject matter there is a high level of artistic achievement here including delicately molded figures impressively detailed architectural elements and a lovely color palette. The elegant hand seen in this miniature manifests a quiet sophistication that distinguishes this artist as a particularly talented member of his circle. Active from about 1450-80 the Masters of the Delft Half-Length Figures were named by James Marrow after the angels and other figures whose upper bodies are typically found emerging from a cloud within the borders. Although the present leaf uncharacteristically contains a full-length angel in the border it shares other stylistic similarities such as the elaborate architectural canopy hovering over the main composition; and it particularly resembles the work of the artist of Keble College MS 77 an illuminator described in "The Golden Age of Dutch Manuscript Illumination" as "one of the more articulate of the group" whose "figures are more fully modelled and his palette . . . deeper and brighter" than that of his contemporaries. Because of the complexity of the subject matter and the high level of artistic accomplishment seen here this leaf was probably part of an elaborate Book of Hours produced in response to an important commission. unknown
1982rif. ST16482Bayreuth: Printed by Chr. Scheufele Offizin Stuttgart for Bear Press 1982. No. 1 OF 10 COPIES ON VELLUM plus a "special" edition of 25 copies and 185 copies on Kochi Japanese paper. 223 x 148 mm. 8 7/8 x 5 3/4". 50 pp. 2 leaves.Translated and with an afterword by Wolfram Benda. Publisher's fine burgundy morocco by Erwin Lehr upper cover with gilt rose in recessed square flat spine with gilt titling turn-ins with gilt fillet frame pale yellow silk pastedowns. In the original burgundy suede slipcase. With three large initials in burnished gold and four signed and numbered original etchings by Peter Klitsch. Printed in red and black. Signed in the colophon by the artist the binder and the publisher/translator. In mint condition. This is the splendid deluxe version of a finely crafted private press edition of Wilde's fairy tales "The Nightingale and the Rose" "The Happy Prince" and "The Selfish Giant." It is the third work issued by the Bear Press founded in 1979 by literary scholar Wolfram Benda and still in operation. According to the firm's website "at a time when the craftsmanship and ethos of the artisan in bookmaking have been damaged by ever-increasing industrialization and neglect . . . The Bear Press . . . tries to achieve the highest possible degree of technical and artistic perfection in its printed works." The font used to print the text and the artist chosen to illustrate each work are carefully selected to express "the individual author's personality and intention." Even the discriminating aesthete Wilde 1854-1900 would be pleased with the choices here especially for the luxurious vellum printing: the type is set in refined Walbaum Antiqua and shown off with special effect by the creamy leaves; the etchings by Austrian artist Peter Klitsch b. 1934 are meticulous detailed and reminiscent of the work of Wilde's friend Aubrey Beardsley; and the binding is the epitome of tasteful restraint flawlessly executed with premium materials. The three tales here first appeared in 1888 and are bittersweet in their themes of love and self-sacrifice. His stories for children were one of Wilde's early successes and DNB notes "Their permanent place in child affections refutes the vulgarism that Wilde's literary reputation arose from his legal notoriety. In all cases the fairy tales are on the child's side celebrating the courage and generosity of the poor and vulnerable while their satire mocks the kind of pomposity and hypocrisy children can recognize." We have been able to trace just two other copies of the vellum printing at auction in ABPC and RBH. [Printed by Chr. Scheufele Offizin, Stuttgart, for] Bear Press unknown
1915rif. 8494Portland Maine: Thomas Bird Mosher 1915. First edition thus number 22 of 25 copies printed on Japan Vellum. 8vo 19x14cm v xvi 3 142 1pp. Two initials printed in red text printed within borders few leaves unopened. Bound in gilt stamped parchment boards and in near fine condition with bumped corners. In original plain paper jacket which shows toning and a few tears and housed in toned paper slipcase with two ownership signatures one being Primrose Rupp Hinton. Very scarce and beautiful Mosher printing on Japanese vellum. Sirenica is a 1913 novel by Leith which explores the myth of the Siren Song and the struggle by man for the unobtainable. This copy with an interesting ownership provenance from journalist Primrose Rupp Hinton who was longtime society editor for the Aberdeen Daily World in Aberdeen WA. . Thomas Bird Mosher unknown
rif. 10997NP. ND. . FINE LARGE DECORATIVE VELLUM BINDING. Folio. 14.8 x 12.8 inches. A collection of 211 items of late 19th and early 20th century cards and ephemera including 26 rare 3-D movable lift-up Valentines and Christmas cards each mounted onto a white stiff card page and with multiple pieces of ephemera attached around the page. Attractive late nineteenth century binding of full white vellum. Spine with decorative gilt designs within double gilt ruled lines in compartments. Boards with triple gilt ruled borders to the very edges and elaborate dark brown morocco panels with highly decorative gilt tooling. A thin blue ink line inside and out of the brown panels. Four gilt corner pieces inside the middle panel. Red painted initials with gilt borders to the centre of the front panel. Board edges and turn-ins with decorative gilt rolls. Green and white patterned endpapers. All edges gilt. Inner hinges reinforced with buff cloth strip. A little marking and a couple of small splits to the binding but overall a fine and attractive vellum binding housing an interesting collection of rare unusual and highly decorative items. NP. ND. hardcover
1465rif. ST17243bBruges ca. 1465. 193 x 145 mm. 7 5/8 x 5 3/4". Single column 21 lines in a gothic book hand. Rubrics in red one two-line initial in gold filled with blue on pink ground WITH THREE LARGE HISTORIATED INITIALS: ONE FEATURING AN OVAL-SHAPED PIECE OF FLESH WITH A GASH IN THE CENTER AND TWO WITH CHRIST'S DISEMBODIED FOOT SHOWING THE PUNCTURE WOUND FROM THE CRUCIFIXION each initial in pink or blue with white tracery filled with dark pink and thin gilt lines and dots four wavy blue rays radiating from behind each appendage all within a thin gilt frame both sides with a three-quarter border consisting of hairline vines gold bezants and a few colorful flowers. ◆Vellum a shade less than bright faint marginal rumpling trivial paint transfer on one initial BUT IN FINE CONDITION the initials richly painted and extremely well preserved. From a manuscript probably produced in Bruges for the English market this leaf contains arresting initials that direct the viewer's attention to the wounds endured by Christ during the Passion. According to Roger Wieck Passion Cycle images enjoyed a particular vogue in 15th century Dutch Flemish and English Books of Hours including those that were exported to England. In the present example the strikingly unusual imagery includes the wounds of the left and right foot as well as the spear injury to Christ's side depicted as an oval piece of flesh with a laceration across the center. A sister leaf to the present item features three additional initials showing a portrait of Christ wearing the Crown of Thorns his gaze fixed directly at the viewer and in separate initials his left and right hands appear disembodied and displaying the stigmata. The parent manuscript containing the present leaf sold at Christie's on 15 November 2006 lot 16 the description for which gives us additional information about the book's contents and provenance: it was made for the Use of Sarum included a calendar with the English saint Thomas Becket and Popes Gregory and Silvester with their names crossed out indicating that it was in England through at least the time of the Reformation and contained an early ownership inscription of a woman named Bridget Lowe with a Middle English inscription on the pastedown. Christie's also attributed the parent manuscript to the workshop of William Vrelant with miniatures possibly by his chief assistant the Master of the "Vraie Cronique Descoce." They note that this work is "of higher quality than many of the works that satisfied the English demand for Netherlandish illumination" and that it "demonstrates why Vrelant appealed to the great bibliophiles of the Burgundian Netherlands." Vrelant was the leading purveyor of books of private devotion in Bruges during the third quarter of the 15th century and his prominent position among Flemish illuminators of the time is indicated by the considerable number of manuscripts illustrated in his manner by other miniaturists both in Bruges and in nearby cities in Flanders. Similar examples to the present leaf can be found in intact Books of Hours at the Philadelphia Free Library MS Widener 3 and the Huntington HM 1086--both of which were produced in Flanders or the Netherlands around the same time as the present work. The present leaf surpasses both of these examples in terms of excellence of the artistic hand and attention to detail. unknown
rif. ABAA25-1Northern France probably Paris 1230-1250. 12mo 140 x 93 mm of 1 658 ll.: 1-1524 1620 17-2224 2310 24-2524 2617 without the bl. l. xviii 2726 2828 295 without the bl. l. vi. Thus complete. Double column of 47 lines written in brown ink in a very fine Gothic writing. Justification: 92 x 60 mm. 78 historiated initials. Quires numbered in Roman numerals at the foot of the back of the last ll. and signatures at the bottom corner of the text on each recto of the first half of a quire headings in red initials in red letters of running titles and chapters numbers alternately in red or blue initials of chapters on 2 lines alternately in red or blue with a decor of the opposite color initials of 5 to 7 lines at the beginning of the prologues of the same type but with decoration in two colors opening the prologues 78 historiated initials most decorated with foliage and dragons the extension of 29 of them forming borders decorating the margin painted in blue pink orange-red and yellow a few wormholes in the first l. a few running titles cropped last l. restored in the outer margin. Stiff vellum gilt Greek roll-stamp around the covers flat spine decorated green morocco lettering piece gilt edges from the 19th century. Superb Capetian manuscript from the School of Paris complete and of perfect freshness handwritten on vellum skin and illuminated with exquisite finesse between 1230 and 1250. Text: List of Books of the Bible: recto and verso of the first endpaper; the Vulgate with the preamble: ll. 1-599v; Interpretation of the Hebrew names: ll. 600-658. Superb example of the small vulgate bibles produced in Paris in the 13th century. It was in the 13th century in Paris that the masters of theology of the University established what was to become the standard form of the Latin Bible: the selection of the books their order and their division into chapters established by Stéphane Laugton still universally employed the insertion of the forewords of St Jerome and the interpretation of the Hebrew names. All these characteristics are present in this very elegant Bible on very thin vellum skin. Illuminations: A masterpiece from Pierre de Bar's workshop active in Paris between 1230 and 1250 distinguishes itself by the particularly colored and bright shades of its illuminations; the usual whites pinks and blues are enriched with red orange and even more surprisingly by large areas of yellow. This Bible contains 78 illuminations of great beauty and of amazing freshness. The repertoire of decorative details is peculiar compared to other French illuminations of the time and the foliage contains small clover leaves. Branner attributed the illustration of the manuscript to the Parisian workshop that illustrated the most outstanding illuminated manuscripts of the first half of the 13th century Bar's workshop with reference to Cardinal Pierre de Bar 1252 who gave to the Abbey of Clairvaux a Bible in four volumes issued from this workshop and preserved today under the reference Troyes Bibliothèque municipale ms. 106 108 110 and 111. This manuscript can be dated from 1230-1250. Remarkable for its large and well-formed heads; the bodies are robust and covered with clothes with deep and dark folds R. Branner Manuscript Painting in Paris during the Reign of Saint Louis 1977 pp. 70-71. He dates the activity of Pierre de Bar's workshop between 1230-1250 and explains its specificities by suggesting the development of its style outside Paris. The decoration of the manuscript consists of 78 historiated illuminated initials and a great number of capital letters rubricated in red or blue. This very attractive bible seems to have been made in Paris; it represents an interesting addition to the production of a workshop producing according to Branner some of the most beautiful and refined Parisian illuminations of the first half of the 13th century. We witness from the years 1220-1230 under the reign of Queen Blanche of Castile a concentration of illuminators in Paris at the expense of abbeys and provincial capitular schools. We can indeed attribute several manuscripts to Blanche of Castile who inaugurated the tradition of female patronage in the royal family. But the peak of these famous small Capetian bibles happened during the reign of Saint Louis. The subjects of the historiated initials are the following: l. l St Jerome Prologue; l. 4 The 7 days of Creation Genesis; l. 27 Moses leading his people across the Red Sea Exodus; l. 43 the Jews offering a sacrifice; l. 54 Moses preaching; l. 72 Moses receiving the Tablets of Stone; l. 89 God talking to Joshua; l. 99 Gideon holding his sword; l. 110 Elimelech and Naomi migrating to Moab Ruth; l. 112v Beheading of Eli; l. 128 Beheading of Amalekite before David; l. 141 David's servant bringing Abishag to him; l. 155v Ahaziah falling from a tower; l. 170v the Patriarchs; l. 185 Solomon enthroned; l. 202 The Construction of the Temple; l. 207 Nehemiah presenting the golden cup to Artaxerxes; l. 213v Spraying of the Temple; l. 220v Tobias; l. 225v Judith beheading Holofernes; l. 232 Ahasuerus being merciful to Esther; l. 238v Job on the manure heap; l. 251 David playing the harp; l. 256 anointing of David by Samuel; l. 258v David showing his mouth; l. 261 madman holding the stick and the bread Psalm 52; l. 264 God above David below in the water Psalm 68; l. 268 David ringing the bells Psalm 80; l. 271v Two Singers Psalm 97; l. 275 The Trinity Psalm 109; l. 283v Solomon whipping a young man; l. 294v Solomon teaching to a young man; l. 298 Madonna and Child Enthroned; l. 299v Solomon and a young man carrying a sword; l. 307v Ecclesia; l. 328 Isaiah being sawn in half; l. 353 Stoning; l. 381 Baruch writing; l. 384v Ezekiel in bed with the Tetramorph; l. 412 Daniel in the lions' den; l. 423v Hosea and Gomer; l. 427v Joel preaching to a group of Jews; l. 429v Amos offering the sheep; l. 432v God appearing to Obadiah; l. 433v Jonah in the mouth of the whale; l. 434v the teaching Prophet; l. 437 Nahum lamenting about the fall of Nineveh; l. 438v Habakkuk and the stones; l. 440 the Prophet with his scroll; l. 441v Two Prophets; l. 442v Prophet; l. 447 Two men talking; l. 449 Beheading of the idolatrous Jew; l. 466 the Messenger delivering the letter; l. 478v the Tree of Jesse; l. 494v Saint Mark with the lion; l. 505 Saint Luke with the angel; l. 521v Saint John; l. 535 Saint Paul carrying the cross; l. 541 Saint Paul carrying a sword; l. 546v Saint Paul carrying a sword and a scroll; l. 551 Saint Paul carrying a sword and a book; l. 555 Saint Paul carrying a sword; l. 556v Saint Paul carrying a sword and a book; l. 558 Saint Paul carrying a sword; l. 559 Saint Paul carrying a sword; l. 560 Saint Paul carrying a sword; l. 561v Saint Paul carrying a sword; l. 562v Saint Paul carrying a sword; l. 561v Saint Paul carrying a sword; l. 562v Saint Paul carrying a sword; l. 563v Saint Paul carrying a sword; l. 564 Two men talking; l. 568v. Ascension; l. 585 Jacob holding a book; l. 586v Saint Peter seated holding a book; l. 588 Saint Peter holding a key; l. 589 Saint John writing; l. 590v Saint John; l. 591 Saint John; f. 591 Saint Jude; l. 592 Saint John writing. This complete bible dated from 1230-1250 is a masterpiece of Capetian illumination produced under the reign of Saint Louis. Provenance: - Jean Tornone: doctor from Burgundy: inscription on the verso of the endpaper mentioning his gifting of the book to Stroyff. - Assuerus Stroyff: inscription mentioning his reception of the book by Tornone then his gift to Johan Baron de Bronckhorst. Johan Baron de Bronckhorst and Batenburg de Guelders: inscription dated from 1574 mentioning his receipt of the book. FR Nord de la France probablement Paris 1230-1250. In-12 de 1 658 ff. : 1-1524 1620 17-2224 2310 24-2524 2617 sans le f. blanc xviii 2726 2828 295 sans le f. blanc vi. Ainsi complet. Double colonne de 47 lignes écrites à l'encre brune dans une très fine écriture gothique. Justification : 92 x 60 mm. 78 initiales historiées. Cahiers numérotés en chiffres romains au pied des versos des derniers ff. et signatures au pied du coin inférieur du texte sur chaque recto de la première moitié d'un cahier rubriques en rouge initiales en rouge lettres des titres courants et numéros des chapitres alternativement en rouge ou bleu initiales des chapitres sur 2 lignes alternativement en rouge ou bleu avec un décor de la couleur opposée initiales de 5 à 7 lignes au début des prologues du même type mais avec des décors des deux couleurs ouvrant les prologues 78 initiales historiées la plupart ornées de feuillage et de dragons le prolongement de 29 d'entre elles formant des bordures décorant la marge peintes en bleu rose orange-rouge et jaune qq. trous de vers ds. le premier f. atteinte à qq. titres courants dernier f. restauré ds. la marge extérieure. Vélin rigide du XIXe siècle encadrement d'une roulette grecque dorée autour des plats dos lisse orné pièce de titre de maroquin vert tranches dorées. 140 x 93 mm. Superbe manuscrit capétien de l'école de Paris complet et de parfaite fraicheur calligraphié sur peau de vélin et enluminé avec une exquise finesse entre 1230 et 1250. Texte : Liste des Livres de la Bible : recto et verso de la première garde ; la Vulgate avec le préambule : ff. 1-599v ; Interprétation des noms hébreux : ff. 600-658. Superbe exemple des petites bibles vulgates produites à Paris au XIIIe siècle. C'est au XIIIe siècle à Paris que les maîtres de théologie de l'Université établirent ce qui devait devenir la forme standard de la Bible latine : la sélection des livres et de l'ordre de ceux-ci et leur division en chapitres établies par Stéphane Laugton et encore universellement employée l'insertion des prologues de St Jérôme et l'interprétation des noms hébreux. Toutes ces caractéristiques sont bien présentes dans cette très élégante Bible sur peau de vélin très fine. Enluminures : Chef-d'œuvre de l'atelier de Pierre de Bar actif à Paris entre 1230 et 1250 il se distingue par les teintes de ses enluminures particulièrement colorées et vives ; les habituels blancs roses et bleus sont enrichis de rouge orange et de manière plus surprenante encore par de larges zones de jaune. Cette Bible possède 78 enluminures d'une grande beauté et d'une étonnante fraicheur. Le répertoire de détails décoratifs est particulier en comparaison des autres enluminures françaises de cette époque et le feuillage comporte des petites feuilles de trèfle. Branner a attribué l'illustration du manuscrit à l'atelier parisien qui a illustré les plus remarquables manuscrits enluminés de la première moitié du XIIIe siècle l'atelier de Bar par référence au cardinal Pierre de Bar 1252 qui donna à l'abbaye de Clairvaux une Bible en quatre volumes provenant de cet atelier et conservés aujourd'hui sous les cotes Troyes Bibliothèque municipale ms. 106 108 110 et 111. On peut dater le présent manuscrit de 1230-1250. Remarquable par ses têtes larges et bien formées ; les corps sont robustes et recouverts de draperies aux plis profonds et sombres. R. Branner Manuscript Painting in Paris during the Reign of Saint Louis 1977 pp. 70-71. Il date l'activité de l'atelier de Pierre de Bar entre 1230-1250 et explique ses spécificités en suggérant la formation se son style en dehors de Paris. La décoration du manuscrit comprend 78 initiales historiées enluminées et d'innombrables capitales rubriquées en rouge ou bleu. Cette bible très séduisante semble avoir été réalisée à Paris ; elle représente un ajout intéressant à la production d'un atelier considéré par Branner comme produisant certaines des enluminures parisiennes les plus belles et les plus raffinées de la première moitié du XIIIe siècle. On assiste à partir des années 1220-1230 sous le règne de la reine Blanche de Castille à une concentration des artistes enlumineurs à Paris au détriment des abbayes et des écoles capitulaires de province. On peut en effet imputer plusieurs manuscrits à Blanche de Castille qui inaugura la tradition du mécénat féminin dans la famille royale. Mais l'apogée de ces célèbres petites bibles capétiennes se situe sous le règne de Saint Louis. Les sujets des initiales historiées sont les suivants : f. l St Jerome Prologue ; f. 4 Les 7 jours de la Création Genèse ; f. 27 Moïse conduit son peuple à travers la Mer Rouge Exode ; f. 43 les Juifs offrent un sacrifice ; f. 54 Moïse preche ; f. 72 Moise reçoit les tables de la Loi ; f. 89 Dieu s'adresse à Joshua ; f. 99 Gédéon tient son épée ; f. 110 Elimelech et Naomi migrent à Moab Ruth ; f. 112v Décapitation d'Eli ; f. 128 Décapitation d'Amalekite devant David ; f. 141 le serviteur de David lui amène Abishag ; f. 155v Ahaziah tombe d'une tour ; f. 170v Les trois juifs patriarches ; f. 185 Salomon intronisé ; f. 202 La Construction du Temple ; f. 207 Néhémie présentant la coupe d'or à Artaxerxès ; f. 213v Aspersion du Temple ; f. 220v Tobias ; f. 225v Judith décapitant Holopherne ; f. 232 Assuérus se montre clément envers Esther ; f. 238v Job sur le tas de fumier ; f. f. 251 David joue de la harpe ; f. 256 onction de David par Samuel ; f. 258v David montre sa bouche ; f. f. 261 fou tenant le bâton et le pain psaume 52 ; f. 264 Dieu au-dessus David dans l'eau dessous Psaume 68 ; f. 268 David sonnant les cloches Psaume 80 ; f. 271v Deux chanteurs Psaume 97 ; f. 275 La Trinité Psaume 109 ; f. 283v Salomon fouette un jeune ; f. 294v Salomon enseigne à un jeune ; f. 298 La Vierge et l'Enfant intronisé ; f. 299v Salomon et un jeune portant une épée ; f. 307v Ecclésia ; f. 328 Isaïe est scié en deux ; f. 353 Lapidation ; f. 381 Baruch écrivant ; f. 384v Ezéchiel au lit avec le Tétramorphe ; f. 412 Daniel dans la fosse aux lions ; f. 423v Osée et Gomer ; f. 427v Joel prechant à un groupe de juifs ; f. 429v Amos offre le mouton ; f. 432v Dieu apparait à Obadiah ; f. 433v Jonas dans la bouche de la baleine ; f. 434v le Prophète enseignant ; f. 437 Nahum se lamente sur la chute de Nineveh ; f. 438v Habakuk et les pierres ; f. 440 le Prophète avec son rouleau ; f. 441v Deux Prophètes ; f. 442v Prophète ; f. 447 Deux hommes en discussion ; f. 449 Décapitation du juif idolâtre ; f. 466 le Messager livre la lettre ; f. 478v l'Arbre de Jessé ; f. 494v Saint Marc avec le lion ; f. 505 Saint Luc avec l'ange ; f. 521v Saint Jean ; f. 535 Saint Paul portant la croix ; f. 541 Saint Paul portant une épée ; f. 546v Saint Paul portant une épée et un rouleau ; f. 551 Saint Paul portant une épée et un livre ; f. 555 Saint Paul portant une épée ; f. 556v Saint Paul portant une épée et un livre ; f. 555 Saint Paul portant une épée ; f. 556v Saint Paul portant une apée et un livre ; f. 558 Saint Paul portant une épée ; f. 559 Saint Paul portant une épée ; f. 560 Saint Paul portant une épée ; f. 561v Saint Paul portant une épée ; f. f. 562v Saint Paul portant une épée ; f. 561v Saint Paul portant une épée ; f. 562v Saint Paul portant une épée ; f. 563v Saint Paul portant une épée ; f. 564 Deux hommes en discussion ; f. 568v. Ascension ; f. 585 Jacob tenant un livre ; f. 586v Saint Pierre assis tenant un livre ; f. 588 Saint Pierre tenant une clef ; f. 589 Saint Jean écrivant ; f. 590v Saint Jean ; f. 591 Saint Jean ; f. 591 Saint Jude ; f. 592 Saint Jean écrivant. Cette bible complète datée de 1230-1250 est un chef-d'œuvre de l'enluminure capétienne réalisée sous le règne de Saint Louis. Provenance : - Jean Tornone : docteur bouguignon : inscription au verso de la garde mentionnant son présent du livre à Stroyff. - Assuerus Stroyff : inscription mentionnant sa réception du livre par Tornone puis son présent à Johan Baron de Bronckhorst. - Johan Baron de Bronckhorst et Batenburg de Guelders : inscription datée de 1574 mentionnant sa réception du livre. hardcover
rif. ST16379-036Rome 2 December 1210. 206 x 293 mm. 8 1/8 x 11 1/2". 12 lines in a papal documentary script. Attractively framed. Lead bulla suspended on silk threads. Very light rubbing to ink in places one horizontal and three vertical creases each with a tiny hole where the folds meet lead seal showing a bit of wear around edges and to protuberances of the faces but these faults all quite minor and on the whole an excellent specimen. Beautifully preserved and with the original lead bulla still attached this document issued by one of the most powerful popes of the Middle Ages resolves a dispute between the monastery attached to the Lateran Palace and the priory of Santi Quattro Coronati Four Holy Martyrs. The two groups seem to have been in conflict over their respective parish boundaries and the inclusion or exclusion of certain churches and therefore the tithes and legal dues stemming from those churches within their particular networks of influence. According to this bull the cardinal priest of Sts. Peter and Paul was charged with hearing their petitions; based on his report Pope Innocent III decrees that the boundaries of the priory's parish will extend to the church of St. Nicholas "de formis" on one side and the arch of John the Baptist "intra formis" on the other side with "de formis" and "intra formis" possibly referring to their relative position to certain aqueducts in the city. The document also notes that it does not alter parish boundaries as formerly defined by Pope Calixtus II r. 1119-24. The present item falls into a category of papal documents known as "litterae solemnes" comprising solemn letters and simple privileges. Though somewhat shorter and less formal than the so-called "Great Bulls" which were very large and included many marks and signatures for authentication "litterae solemnes" still followed strict rules in terms of format and appearance and included a lead seal displaying the pope's name on one side and the visages of Sts. Peter and Paul on the other as here. For a full overview of papal bulls and their various formats see Clemens & Graham "Introduction to Manuscript Studies" pp. 230-36. Innocent III born Lotario dei Conti di Segni 1160 or 1161-1216 was considered the most powerful person in Europe during his reign 1198-1216 having done much to consolidate the power of the Holy See and exert influence over the affairs of nations near and far. Notably he proclaimed the supremacy of the church over secular authority launched the Fourth Crusade which ended in the sacking of Constantinople presided over the Fourth Lateran Council excommunicated King John of England and nullified the Magna Carta and vigorously suppressed heretical sects such as the Cathars. Papal bulls issued by Innocent III seem to be of the utmost rarity on the market; we could find just one other example recorded by ABPC and RBH as sold in the past 100 years going for a hammer price of €9000 $10999 in 2013. unknown
rif. ST13657aFrance second half of the 13th century. Each leaf measures 330 x 240 mm. 13 x 9 3/8". Double column 38 lines of text in a proto-gothic hand. Rubrics in red running title and numerous paragraph marks in red and blue one leaf with one two-line initial in blue with red pen flourishes. Margins with several text corrections one leaf with a catch-word. Faint soiling and a few negligible stains touching text not affecting legibility but overall FINE SPECIMENS with very few flaws. Containing part of a popular treatise on the Vices these well-preserved and attractive large format leaves come from a manuscript that may have been contemporary to the life of the author William Perault ca. 1190-1270. Although the so-called "Seven Deadly Sins" that we still recognize today remained a popular moral paradigm throughout the Middle Ages it was by no means canonical. Authors were free to borrow manipulate and elaborate on the topic at will resulting in a profusion of treatises and competing systems of morality. This work by Perault Latin: Peraldus was a particularly prominent treatise that not only survived the Middle Ages but later went into print in several editions. The "Summa of Vice" expounds upon the Seven with which most of us are familiar--Pride Envy Anger Sloth Greed Gluttony and Lust--but it also includes an eighth sin which Perault called "peccatum linguae" or "the sin of the tongue." The present leaves consider the sin of Pride Superbia the most severe and dangerous of all the vices in Medieval imagery it is often depicted as the root of all other sins with some interesting discussion of garish dress make-up hair coloring and wigs. unknown
rif. ST19540bSouthern Netherlands Bruges third quarter of 15th century. Matted leaf: 150 x 150 mm. 5 7/8 x 4 3/8". Frame: 307 x 258 mm. 12 x 10 1/4". Single column with four lines below the miniature and the obverse with 17 lines in a batarde hand. Attractively matted and framed the leaf slightly shifted in the mat revealing top and side edges but in no danger of damage. Rubrics in red four one-line initials and three three-line initials all but one in burnished gold on blue and red ground with white tracery the initial beneath the miniature painted pink on a burnished gold ground and filled with painted ivy vines AN ARCH-TOPPED LARGE MINIATURE DEPICTING THE ENTOMBMENT the body of Christ surrounded by seven other people depicted in an outdoor setting with the turrets of a walled city in the background the miniature in a double frame of gold and pink surrounded by A FULL BORDER composed of hairline vines acanthus colorful flowers and gilt bezants and inhabited by a small bird. Minor soiling and a faint thumb print to borders but IN VERY FINE CONDITION THE MINIATURE BEAUTIFULLY PRESERVED. This is a beautifully rendered and deeply touching scene depicting the entombment of the crucified Christ and the pathos experienced by those at his side. Holding the sheet on which the body is lowered into the sarcophagus are on the far left the richly clothed Joseph of Arimathea and on the far right Nicodemus who dons an especially lovely yellow garment with delicate embroidery. Between the two men in the foreground but behind the body are the Virgin Mary who presses the hand of her deceased son to her lips; John the Evangelist whose body is turned toward the Virgin in a gesture of support but whose gaze is focused on the Savior; and Mary Magdalene who holds a small ointment jar. Two other women with halos stand closely behind them consoling one another. The artist has done a masterful job at creating a composition that captures the emotional gravity of the scene: Christ's body gently cradled in a white sheet is on full display with blood still trickling from the wounds on his head and side. Despite there being seven people crowded around him our attention is drawn to the action between Christ and the Virgin who gently grasps his hand with motherly affection and bids him a final farewell. Flickers of different emotions appear on the faces of his followers including pity sorrow stoicism and disbelief--echoing perhaps the viewer's own range of feelings upon viewing this image. The level of detail excellence of composition care seen in the molded bodies and faces and the convincing setting suggest that the artist was quite practiced and that the original manuscript from which the leaf comes was of very high quality. unknown
rif. 32636Burt Franklin New York. Reprint of the 1822 Edition 1969. 9 Vols. small 4to orig. cloth. "The first bibliography of books printed on vellum; it describes 1750 books owned by what is now the Bibliothèque Nationale Paris and 2750 works which the author traced in other public and private libraries. But it is much more than a mere bibliography of books printed on that precious material; the copious notes make it a valuable bibliography of rare books in many fields." - Breslauer & Folter Grolier Club Bibliography 123. Burt Franklin, New York. (Reprint of the 1822 Edition) 1969 hardcover
rif. ST20214Northern France perhaps Beauvais or Amiens late 13th or early 14th century. 286 x 199 mm. 11 1/4 x 7 3/4". Double column containing a mixture of staves and text approximately 21 lines in an excellent formal gothic book hand. Attractively matted. Rubrics in red chant text containing black penwork initials with red and yellow geometric elaboration BEAUTIFULLY ILLUMINATED with five two-line initials painted blue or pink with white tracery on a ground in the contrasting color two of the initials filled with grotesques and swirling vines and two with the filler design traced out but never completed each initial with blue and pink extensions terminating in orange leaves or spiky shapes; the verso featuring AN IMPRESSIVE SIX-LINE "N" 58 x 50 mm. in the same style filled with an intricate knotwork design and orange leaves with long extensions including a horizontal extension across the upper margin. Margins with light offsetting of the designs from the facing leaf; remnants of mounting tape on recto corners and bottom edge; verso apparently with a barely visible Medieval "14" in lower margin. An area measuring 5 mm. at edges just faintly yellowed from mat burn but IN FINE CONDITION the vellum otherwise quite bright the paint rich and the gold brightly glittering. This sumptuously decorated leaf--which is beautifully preserved and contains a particularly large and handsome initial--comes from the last volume of a three-volume Missal presented to Beauvais Cathedral by Canon Robert de Hangest d. 1356. The Missal remained at the cathedral at least through the 17th century when it is noted in an inventory but was removed from the church at some point likely in the aftermath of the French Revolution. The parent volume eventually entered the collection of Henri-Auguste Brölemann 1775-1854 of Lyon who passed it to his grand-daughter Etienne Mallet who then sold it at Sotheby's in 1926. It was then acquired for the collection of William Hearst where it remained for the next 25 years. In 1941 it was again sold at auction and subsequently dismembered. Though long thought to have been the work of famed biblioclast Otto Ege recent scholarship suggests that it was actually Phillip Duschnes who was responsible for breaking up the book keeping some leaves for himself and selling others on to his colleague Ege for inclusion in his portfolios of "Fifty Original Leaves from Medieval Manuscripts." The Beauvais Missal has been a subject of interest for many notable scholars chief among them being Christopher de Hamel--see: "Otto Ege and the Beauvais Missal" in "Gilding the Lilly: A Hundred Medieval and Illuminated Manuscripts in the Lilly Library" and it is currently the focus of a major effort to "reconstruct" the manuscript digitally--a project spearheaded by Lisa Fagin Davis. Other leaves from the parent volume are in the collections of the Morgan Library the Metropolitan Museum of Art the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Houghton Library at Harvard among many others. Although there is some dispute among art historians the illumination has been tentatively attributed to the artist of the Hours of Yolande of Soissons produced in Amiens ca. 1280 and now held by the Morgan Library MS M.729. It is worth noting that the town of Hangest home to the original owner is only 10 miles from Amiens and is a likely place of origin for the Missal. The present leaf contains a text for a major feast day and thus contains a large and extravagantly decorated initial for its opening "'Nunc scio vere." It is not too much to say that the decoration here is masterful but curiously--and of special interest to us from a modern perspective--the illuminators seem to have forgotten to put the finishing touches on the two smaller initials above which still contain sketches of the preliminary design. unknown
1920rif. ST16608London: Designed written out and illuminated by Alberto Sangorski Colophon 1920. 255 x 212 mm. 10 1/8 x 8 1/2". 25 3 pp. ELEGANT LIGHT OLIVE GREEN CRUSHED MOROCCO GILT AND INLAID by Riviere for London bookseller Charles J. Sawyer stamp-signed "Chas. J. Sawyer Ltd. London" on front turn-in upper cover with inlaid mahogany-brown morocco lyre at head "strung" with gilt fillets and surrounded by dense gilt stippling six gilt fillets emanating from the top of this ornament and curling extravagantly below it with inlaid green morocco leaves at the tips of its extensions and inlaid red dots accenting the perimeter raised bands spine compartments with gilt and inlaid leaf sprig gilt titling turn-ins framed with five gilt fillets stippled and inlaid cornerpieces ivory moiré silk doublures and endleaves. In a fine full morocco plush-lined box with raised bands and gilt titling. ILLUSTRATED THROUGHOUT WITH EIGHT LARGE MINIATURES within extraordinarily elaborate illuminated borders FIVE FINE ROUNDELS FOUR LARGE HISTORIATED INITIALS a portrait of a young woman a leaping stag a skull and a landscape with a castle tower AND 25 ILLUMINATED INITIALS all with burnished gold. New expertly matched silk guards. SIGNED by Sangorski in the colophon following the statement: "This manuscript will not be duplicated." With an early typescript list of the contents laid in at front. Ratcliffe "Alberto Sangorski" SJR 338 attributing the binding to Riviere. ◆Spine slightly sunned to olive brown just a hint of sunning to head and fore edges of boards spine with half a dozen barely perceptible tiny dark spots but A VERY FINE COPY OF AN EXTRAORDINARILY BEAUTIFUL MANUSCRIPT the binding unworn and lustrous and the interior pristine with vellum clean and bright and the paintings perfectly preserved. Written out decorated and painted by one of the most accomplished illuminators of the modern era this attractively bound work celebrates some of Shakespeare's best-known plays with sumptuous miniatures that are in a perfect state of preservation. Songs from "The Tempest" "As You Like It" "Hamlet" "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and other works provide the inspiration for the many delightful miniatures seen here which display an impressive variety of portraits outdoor views and figural scenes--everything from reclining nudes to a particularly lush scene in which a group of spirited hunters return from the woods. The illustrations are all painted with exquisite attention to detail and demonstrate the artist's innate understanding of color rendering each composition delicate yet vigorous and vibrantly hued. All Sangorski manuscripts with miniatures are painted with great skill but this one is particularly arresting. Alberto Sangorski 1862-1932 started his professional life as secretary to a goldsmith's firm became attracted to the book arts at the age of 43 and began doing illuminated manuscripts that were then bound by his brother Francis' firm Sangorski & Sutcliffe. Sometime around 1910 Alberto and Francis had a falling out and the artist went to work for Riviere the chief competitor to his brother's firm. The gracefully tooled binding here was commissioned by London bookseller Charles J. Sawyer 1876-1931 who opened his shop in 1894. According to Brown and Brett's "The London Bookshop" Sawyer provided "anything suitable for a gentleman's library" with specialties in "rare items early English literature fine bindings and sporting and colour-plate books." While the binder fulfilling the commission did not sign this work Sangorski bibliographer Stephen Ratcliffe attributes it to Riviere & Son and there are examples of Riviere bindings decorated in this Art Nouveau style. But the design here with its delicate curving lines creating uncommon shapes also resembles the work done by members of the Guild of Women Binders. Whoever the artisans involved the binding is attractively designed and executed using premium materials and it provides a pleasing cover for the glorious illuminations within. [D]esigned, written out, and illuminated by Alberto Sangorski [Colophon]
1470rif. ST19885Netherlands ca. 1470-80. 164 x 123 mm. 6 1/2 x 4 7/8". Single column 17 lines in a gothic hand. Capitals touched with red rubrics in red one-line initials in red or blue one two-line initial in blue A VERY LARGE HISTORIATED INITIAL approximately 60 mm. square DEPICTING PENTECOST the initial painted blue with white tracery on a burnished gold ground surrounded by A FULL BORDER decorated with colorful acanthus large flowers strawberries insects including a grasshopper fly moth and mosquito all on a liquid gold ground. See: Marrow et al. "The Golden Age of Dutch Manuscript Illumination" nos. 79-81. ◆Margins just faintly soiled gold very slightly rubbed but IN FINE CONDITION the initial and border beautifully preserved. This is an extraordinarily handsome leaf featuring an oversized historiated initial depicting Pentecost attributed to the circle of the Master of the London Jason. Our artist has made remarkable use of space fitting 13 clearly defined people within an initial opening measuring 45 x 32 mm. The Virgin sits enthroned directly in the center encircled by the Apostles dressed in blue violet green and orange robes. Our artist cleverly adds a notch at the top of initial--like a cupola inside a chapel--in order to fit an image of a dove inside the scene. The figures show an impressive degree of individualization and emotional response as they witness the descent of the Holy Spirit; a few gesture in surprise two lower their gaze and some look up in awe. The work is stylistically like that of the Master of the London Jason named for his work on the "Historie van Jason" manuscript now housed at the British Library. As Marrow et al. note the Master's style is characterized by "somewhat short heavy figures that are well formed and have unusual slightly broad yet expressive faces with deep sunken eyes." Our leaf's enclosing border is of very considerable interest featuring as it does naturalistic flowers strawberry plants insects and a small brightly colored bird all painted in colors that perfectly complement the main scene. A very fine production all around this distinctive energetic leaf would make a notable addition to any collection. unknown
rif. ST16985GFrance first half of 14th century. 110 x 82 mm. 4 3/8 x 3 1/4". Single column 12 lines in a gothic book hand. Rubrics in red line enders in pink and blue with gold accents each leaf with one or more one-line initials in blue with red penwork or gold with blue penwork some leaves with one two-line initial painted blue filled with either decorative shapes or INHABITED BY A HUMAN HEAD all on a gold ground one side of each leaf WITH A FULL BORDER composed of pink and blue tendrils accompanied by spikey gold decoration and gold accents often terminating in ivy leaves and incorporating EXTRAORDINARILY CHARMING EXAMPLES OF MARGINALIA INCLUDING ANIMALS HUMANS AND HYBRIDS. ◆Vellum slightly soiled and with a few minor imperfections one leaf with a little offsetting in one corner each leaf with a small area excised by a former owner affecting marginalia and a few words of text but each leaf with at least two fully intact examples of marginalia and on the whole the leaves quite clean the colors very bright and the gold sparkling. Though diminutive in size these leaves contain enormously appealing marginal decoration in the form of humans animals and hybrid creatures inventively incorporated into the lively borders in manners that range from adorable to bizarre. Especially popular in Flanders Northern France and England during the 13th and 14th centuries marginalia such as these comprise some of the most memorable and entertaining images to be found in any Medieval manuscripts. Despite being found largely in religious books such as Psalters and Books of Hours the images are often strange humorous or even outrageous and they provide us with consistent delight. Being by definition outside of the central text or miniature the margins seem to have been a place where illuminators felt more at ease to experiment resulting in highly imaginative and unique artistic expressions. The present specimens come from a fragmentary manuscript with many leaves either missing or rendered defective where portions of the vellum were cut away as here. Fortunately these leaves each retain at least two excellent examples of marginalia including a very alert hare hybrids with the heads of humans and the bodies of two-legged beasts humans emerging from the border tendrils to help hold up initials a human head with a wizened beard and a stylized hat incorporated into the border and a trumpeter blowing into a long instrument accented with gold. Though fragmentary in appearance these leaves present an excellent opportunity to acquire fine examples of marginalia at an affordable price. For additional leaves from this same manuscript at different price points please check our website. unknown
1441rif. ST19880Italy Ferrara 1441-48. Visible leaf: 245 x 187 mm. 9 5/8 x 7 3/8"; Frame: 380 x 315 mm. 15 x 12 1/4". Double column 30 lines in a very fine rounded gothic hand a few lines of text in the same hand but smaller. Mounted and in a simple but pleasing gold frame. Visible side with rubrics in red one-line initials in burnished gold or painted blue one two-line initial in burnished gold on a pale pink ground with white tracery a lovely illuminated bar between the columns with a central plant knot AND SPROUTING IN UPPER AND LOWER MARGINS CLUSTERS OF FLOWERS AND LEAVES IN VARIOUS COLORS AS WELL AS GOLD BEZANTS outer margin with swirling penwork studded with gilt bezants running the length of the column each penwork swirl enclosing a painted and gilt flower with ONE FIVE-LINE HISTORIATED INITIAL DEPICTING ST. PAUL HOLDING A SWORD AND BOOK the initial painted pink with green leaves and a blue and green acanthus extension on a gilt ground. ◆Not examined outside of frame but in very fine condition: vellum slightly wavy text in the bottom margin just a bit faded but by all appearances A VERY CLEAN BRIGHT LEAF SPARKLING WITH GILT. Executed with great skill and delicacy and in sensitive Italianate colors highlighted especially by spring green and pink the present leaf is from a manuscript intended for a powerful aristocrat. It comes from the celebrated Breviary illuminated for the chapel of the Marquises of Este rulers of Ferrara and Mantua a manuscript commissioned by Leonello d'Este duke of Ferrara from 1441-50. Because the d'Este family kept excellent records we have confidence that this manuscript was done for Leonello by Giorgio d'Alemagna Bartolomeo de Benincà Guglielmo Giraldi and Matteo de' Pasti see Toniolo "La Miniatura a Ferrara dal Tempo di Cosmè Tura all'eredità di Ercole de' Roberti" 1998 pp. 19-20 and 76-77. The leaves show subtle variations in the style of the illuminations a result of work done by a team of artists doing variations on a theme. At one time in a Spanish library the manuscript was brought to Britain during the Peninsular War and came to be owned by the Rolls family later Lords Llangattock of Monmouth in Wales from whom it takes its name. By the time the work reached Britain most of the miniatures had already been cut out. The Breviary sold at Christie's on 8 December 1958 lot #190 to Goodspeed's of Boston who broke it up. The intact first quire of 10 leaves was purchased by Philip Hofer and given to Harvard cf. Wieck "Late Medieval and Renaissance Illuminated Manuscripts" p. 130 and fig. 74 and individual leaves appeared in 1967 in the catalogues of Folio Fine Art "the quality of the leaves is extremely high" Maggs Brothers "of a very high quality" and Alan Thomas "of exquisite quality". The present example is especially desirable for the portrait of St. Paul who is depicted holding a sword and book and whose carefully molded features reflect the growing interest in realistic portraiture in Renaissance Italy. unknown
