Vitela

Vitela — marelibri

(VELLUM PRINTING). DELILLE, JACQUESBiblio.com

THE GARDENS A POEM

1805ref. ST21016London: Printed by T. Bensley 1805. APPARENTLY THE ONLY COPY PRINTED ON VELLUM. 260 x 152 mm. 10 x 1/4 x 6". 2 p.l. 146 pp. 1 leaf notes. Translated by Maria Henrietta Montolieu. Very pleasing contemporary straight-grain scarlet morocco gilt by Charles Hering binder's ticket on verso of front flyleaf covers bordered with a wide frame of multiple patterned rolls with rosette cornerpieces enclosing a delicate frame of a dotted roll cornered small floral tools raised bands spine gilt in compartments wide turn-ins sumptuously gilt cream silk endleaves with gilt borders and fleuron cornerpieces all edges gilt. WITH EIGHT ENGRAVINGS BY FRANCESCO BARTOLOZZI IN TWO STATES one on gold silk and the second on paper. EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED with two engravings depicting Princess Izabela Czartoryska and her daughter Zofia. A Large Paper Copy. Henrey 624. See also Clemens Alexander Wimmer "The Princess and the Poles" Historic Gardens Review no. 10 2002: 14-17. Spine slightly darkened joints and edges with minor barely noticeable wear vellum a bit and naturally rumpled and consequently the book yawning a bit a handful of light spots but still an extremely appealing copy with fine impressions of the plates vast margins and a special story to tell. Printed on vellum richly bound and illustrated with attractive plates on silk this is an extraordinarily luxurious copy of Delille's famous poem on gardens that almost certainly belonged to a noblewoman whose gardens are mentioned in the text. First published in 1780 our poem condemns formal gardens and broad promenades in favor of a gardening art which hides its artistry by reproducing the asymmetrical groupings of nature and careless bounty of the countryside. This view accords with the translation of Virgil's "Georgics" done by Delille 1738-1813 in 1769 a version that brought him great acclaim for its supple and sonorous versification. In fact it so pleased the Count of Artois the future Charles X that he named Delille abbot of Saint-Séverin; however revolution disrupted things and the poet for a time led a wandering life in Switzerland Germany and England where this updated and expanded version of "Gardens" was published in 1801. The present special edition includes the plates which had appeared as head- and tailpieces in the first edition but now used as stand-alone plates in two states. These were executed by Bartolozzi after originals by Portuguese neoclassical painter Francisco Vieira. In addition to the called-for suite of illustrations our copy includes two inserted plates portraits of Princess Izabela Czartoryska 1745-1835 and her daughter Zofia. Czartoryska was a major figure in the Polish Enlightenment as a writer and patron of the arts as well as an advocate for improving the lives of the poor. She is best remembered for the sprawling gardens at her palace in Pu awy which included a formal garden a "wild promenade" or landscape park and multiple structures including the neoclassical Temple of the Sibyl which became one of Poland's first museums. She made the acquaintance of the author while travelling through Paris in 1791 and the two struck up a friendship. She financially backed the second edition of the work in exchange for a mention of her gardens which duly appears in heightened verse on pp. 11-13: "Favoured Pulhavi! You from Heaven obtain / Each separate charm Earth's choicest scenes contain; / Bright glow thy features fresh from Nature's hand / Excite our wonder and our praise command." The presence of this poetic tribute--and especially the inserted plates showing the princess and her daughter-- clearly suggest that the our apparently unique luxury edition must have been a presentation copy to Czartoryska herself. The present copy is as striking outside as it is inside. Charles Hering was the most distinguished and influential English binder of the first decade of the 19th century and although his career was brief from about 1795-1812 Ramsden focuses on his work as representing the transition in binding styles from those of the German émigrés of the late 18th century to the new generation of binders headed by Charles Lewis. Dibdin states that until "the star of Charles Lewis rose above the bibliopegistic horizon no one could presume to 'measure business' with Hering. There was a strength squareness and a good style of work about his volumes which rendered him deservedly a great favourite." We have been unable to trace any other copies of the present edition on vellum. Printed by T. Bensley unknown

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts · Estados Unidos14.560,00 US$≈ 12.982,61 €

(VELLUM PRINTING). DELILLE, JACQUESABAA

THE GARDENS A POEM

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts · Estados Unidos14.560,00 US$≈ 12.982,61 €

A MEDIEVAL ILLUMINATED VELLUM MANUSCRIPT LEAF FROM THE BEAUVAIS MISSALBiblio.com

TEXT FROM THE VIGIL OF STS. PETER AND PAUL 28 JUNE AND THE FEAST OF STS. PETER AND PAUL 29 JUNE

ref. 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

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts · Estados Unidos14.560,00 US$≈ 12.982,61 €

A MEDIEVAL ILLUMINATED VELLUM MANUSCRIPT LEAF FROM THE BEAUVAIS MISSALABAA

TEXT FROM THE VIGIL OF STS. PETER AND PAUL 28 JUNE AND THE FEAST OF STS. PETER AND PAUL 29 JUNE

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts · Estados Unidos14.560,00 US$≈ 12.982,61 €

A COMPLETE MEDIEVAL VELLUM MANUSCRIPT CALENDAR FROM A BOOK OF HOURS IN LATIN AND FRENCH, WITH A TOTAL OF 24 SMALL MINIATURESBiblio.com

TEXT FROM JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER

1500ref. ST20810SParis ca. 1500. 163 x 115 mm. 6 1/2 x 4 1/2". 12 leaves. Single column 18 lines in a gothic book hand. Feast days in alternating blue and burnished gold script two-line "KL" initials painted blue with white tracery and embellished with orange and blue ivy on a burnished gold ground each with a spray of gilt leaves and painted flowers one-line "A" initials in burnished gold over a pink and blue ground each page with a panel border of colorful flowers berries and acanthus over a painted gold ground with 24 SMALL MINIATURES depicting the labor of the month on rectos and zodiacal signs on versos. Some moderate smudging and soiling in bottom and fore margins January and February with tiny wormhole in head margin the miniature for January conceivably improved by a later hand but all in all a very lovely Calendar the high-quality paintings very well preserved and the whole with vibrant colors and brightly gleaming gold. Vibrantly illustrated and shimmering with gold this is an excellent example of a complete Calendar that would have appeared at the beginning of a luxuriously appointed Book of Hours. Each month is illustrated with the labor or occupation appropriate for the moment. These are in turn: warming by the fire feasting pruning picking flowers courting threshing hay harvesting wheat baking bread treading grapes sowing feeding hogs and slaughtering a hog. Our artist chose to compose these scenes more as portraits than depictions of actual tasks framing the image around each figure's face and sometimes only including small details that might indicate their occupation. In the month of June for example which depicts threshing hay we see only a sliver of the farmer's sickle and nothing at all of the hay. Instead the farmer himself is the primary focus here: and he is particularly well-executed with gentle shading on his downcast features careful brushstrokes highlighting the gleam of his hair and brushed gold suggesting the sun beating down on a bright June day. In addition to the labor or occupation of the month on the recto the 12 signs of the zodiac are depicted on the verso of each leaf these executed with equal charm and care. In cheerful bright colors our artist has depicted Leo's preening pose and glimmering mane the drama of Sagittarius' drawn bow and the cherubic plumpness of Aquarius molded in bluish shadows. In addition to the aesthetic achievements of its various parts the whole is desirable as a so-called composite Calendar with the name of a saint or special celebration occupying every day of the year. The origin of the composite Calendar is uncertain but the general opinion is that it was formalized in the early 14th century. The Parisian Hours of Jeanne d'Evreaux copied in ca. 1330 has been put forth as an early example. In any case the Calendar was subject to numerous changes in the course of time as various saints were canonized and supplanted those who while still recognized as saintly were deemed to be less favored residents for a particular calendar date. The saints' days on this Calendar are fairly typical for the Use of Paris and given the high-quality illumination liberal use of gold and robust borders it is likely that the parent manuscript was produced by an accomplished atelier in that city. Although single Calendar leaves regularly come on the market complete Calendars--particularly ones with extensive visual programs as here--are much more difficult to acquire. unknown

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts · Estados Unidos15.600,00 US$≈ 13.909,94 €

A COMPLETE MEDIEVAL VELLUM MANUSCRIPT CALENDAR FROM A BOOK OF HOURS IN LATIN AND FRENCH, WITH A TOTAL OF 24 SMALL MINIATURESABAA

TEXT FROM JANUARY THROUGH DECEMBER

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts · Estados Unidos15.600,00 US$≈ 13.909,94 €

MEDIEVAL ILLUMINATED VELLUM MANUSCRIPT LEAVES, OFFERED INDIVIDUALLY, EACH WITH AN HISTORIATED INITIALBiblio.com

FROM A PSALTER-HOURS IN LATIN

ref. ST20846GSouthern Netherlands ca. 1280. 110 x 83 mm. 4 3/8 x 3 1/4". Single column 19 lines in a gothic hand. Rubrics in red simple line fillers in red or blue each leaf with multiple one-line initials in red or blue one leaf also with a two-line gilt initial on blue and pink ground and with bar border extensions in gold blue and pink EACH LEAF WITH A LARGE HISTORIATED INITIAL measuring seven to nine lines long 28-34 mm. the initial in pink or blue inhabited by figures painted on a gilt ground all this on a blue or pink ground framed in gilt with spiky pink and blue marginal extensions studded with gilt bezants and painted leaves. Small corrections to text one leaf with marginal notation in a later hand; each leaf with a small stub mounted on fore edge. One leaf with marginal embellishment slightly trimmed away just a hint of use but in very fine condition with the initials beautifully preserved right down to their hair-line detail. Featuring large historiated initials with some unusual iconography these leaves come from a charming Psalter-Hours attributed to the Morgan 183 Group. Active in the late 13th and early 14th centuries and so-named for a highly decorative manuscript once owned by J. Pierpont Morgan the artists of this group are considered important purveyors of the gothic style from Paris into Liege and the Southern Netherlands. Our parent manuscript was probably executed in Brabant or Hainault based on the presence of certain saints associated with these cities that appear in the Litany for example Sts. Waldetrudis of Mons and Amalberga of Maubeuge. Clues from other extant leaves containing additions and alterations to the text suggest that it was initially made for non-monastic use but later may have been adapted for a Benedictine community. The present leaves each contain a large historiated initial to punctuate the beginning of a Psalm or major section and each provides a narrative for contemplation. The subjects include: a Crucifixion opening the Hours of the Passion with the Virgin Mary and John the Evangelist on either side of the Crucified Christ. Above them on either side of the Cross is the sun and moon--an allusion to the three hours of darkness enveloping the land during the Crucifixion. b The fool riding a goat opening Psalm 52 "Dixit insipiens". This is a particularly unusual though very apt piece of iconography for the Psalm that famously begins "The fool has said in his heart: 'There is no God.'" Pictured astride a goat the fool holds onto a horn with one hand and brandishes a club with the other as his steed charges ahead. Although historiated initials with fools can occasionally be found in Psalters and Bibles of this same period they are usually shown only with a club and often a piece of bread; the addition of the goat is quite extraordinary. c David in the water praying to God opening Psalm 68 "Salvum me fac Deus". This initial makes excellent use of the compositional space provided by the curving "S" shape placing God the father in the compartment above and King David up to his belly in flowing water in the compartment below. Both figures raise their arms upward with the Lord holding a globus cruciger and making the sign of benediction while David naked except for his crown extends his prayerful arms so wide they nearly reach from one side of the initial to the other. The latter is clearly referencing Christ's eventual sacrifice on the Cross as well as highlighting the familial connection between the two. These leaves are exceptional examples of the French high gothic style outside of Paris and offer multiple avenues for further research and comparison. unknown

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts · Estados Unidos15.600,00 US$≈ 13.909,94 €

MEDIEVAL ILLUMINATED VELLUM MANUSCRIPT LEAVES, OFFERED INDIVIDUALLY, EACH WITH AN HISTORIATED INITIALABAA

FROM A PSALTER-HOURS IN LATIN

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts · Estados Unidos15.600,00 US$≈ 13.909,94 €

(VELLUM PRINTING). (BINDINGS - CLUB BINDERY). (ORDER OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE)Biblio.com

CONSTITUTIONES ORDINIS VELLERIS AUREI E GALLICO IN LATINUM CONVERSAE

1626ref. ST21074Antwerp: Balthasar Moretus 1626. ONE OF 50 COPIES ON VELLUM PRINTED FOR THE KING OF SPAIN and 25 copies on paper. 257 x 185 mm. 10 1/4 x 7 1/4". 8 p.l. 91 pp.Translated by Nicolas Grudius. Handsome dark brown crushed morocco tooled in gilt and blind by the Club Bindery for Robert Hoe stamp-signed and dated 1903 on front turn-in and with Hoe's monogram on front pastedown covers with frame of double gilt rules enclosing repeated blind-stamped medallions central panel with blind-ruled lozenge and rectangle the latter with oblique gilt fleurons at corners raised bands spine compartments ruled in blind with gilt fleuron centerpiece and gilt floral buds at corners gilt lettering vellum endleaves all edges gilt tiny invisible repairs at top of spine and front joint. With two full-page armorial engravings by Cornelius Galle one the arms of the Spanish monarch the other the insignia of the Order engraved head- and tailpieces. Front pastedown with morocco bookplate of Robert Hoe as well as engraved bookplates of Arthur & Charlotte Vershbow and David Godine. Bibl. Belg. I 692; Voet II 1017; Van Praet V:161-2; Brunet Supp. I:291; USTC 1007848. Boards slightly bowed as almost inevitable with vellum books text a bit wavy also as expected occasional faint smudges or dustsoiling at edges but AN EXTREMELY PLEASING COPY the vellum creamy and bright the binding very lustrous. This is the luxurious vellum printing of the rules of the Order of the Golden Fleece bound in 16th century style for the renowned bibliophile Robert Hoe by the workshop he co-founded and supervised for much of its existence. Founded in 1429 by Philip Duke of Burgundy the exclusive Order of the Golden Fleece was the most distinguished knighthood in the Holy Roman Empire being limited to just 24 members. Its primary purpose was to preserve and protect the Catholic faith as well as to uphold the 12 knightly virtues outlined by Philip: Faith Charity Justice Sagacity Prudence Temperance Resolution Truth Liberality Diligence Hope and Valor. Those deserving to be collared with the order's golden necklace featuring an appended ram that gave the group its name swore to support their monarch militarily and in return they were exempt from taxes as well as being entitled to be tried for any crimes by a jury restricted to their fellow knights. The "Rules" or "Statutes" that make up the text here dictate the very strict obligations and behavioral guidelines for its members including proscriptions against such things as fleeing a battle out of cowardice or embracing beliefs antithetical to the Church along with a number of procedural decrees governing for example how exactly to participate in ceremonial occasions. The earliest Latin edition of the "Constitutiones" translated from the French by the secretary of the Order Flemish poet Nicolaus Grudius 1504-70 was printed by Guillaume Silvius at the Plantin Press in 1566. In total four vellum editions were issued over the next 200 years all now rare. The present copy collates as the 1626 edition issued by Balthasar Moretus which the Belgian national bibliography tells us was printed for the king of Spain with 50 copies on vellum and 25 on paper. Our copy was bound in 1903 for Robert Hoe 1839-1909 a founder of the Grolier Club and one of the world's great book collectors. After Grolier was established in 1884 it soon became apparent that the country's few established hand binders were overtaxed in providing repairs and rebinding for the club members' rapidly accumulating acquisitions. As a consequence in 1895 Grolier members along with Edwin Holden and other wealthy collectors established the Club Bindery in order to attract European craftsmen to provide close to home fine quality binding work rivalling what was available abroad. The Club Bindery was in operation until 1909 with Hoe being its most influential manager and client. It provided bindings that tended to be traditional in style--though frequently with elaborate decoration--and that lived up to its patrons' expectations in terms of excellence. Our volume later passed into the hands of another Grolier Club member Arthur Vershbow 1922-2012 and his wife Charlotte 1924-2000. All early editions of this work are scarce; we were able to trace just one other copy of our vellum-printed edition at auction sold for 11700 at van de Wiele in 2024. Balthasar Moretus unknown

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts · Estados Unidos18.200,00 US$≈ 16.228,27 €

(VELLUM PRINTING). (BINDINGS - CLUB BINDERY). (ORDER OF THE GOLDEN FLEECE)ABAA

CONSTITUTIONES ORDINIS VELLERIS AUREI E GALLICO IN LATINUM CONVERSAE

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts · Estados Unidos18.200,00 US$≈ 16.228,27 €

(VELLUM PRINTING). WILDE, OSCARBiblio.com

DIE NACHTIGALL UND DIE ROSE. DREI MÄRCHEN. THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE. THREE FAIRY TALES

1982ref. 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

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts · Estados Unidos18.720,00 US$≈ 16.691,93 €

(VELLUM PRINTING). WILDE, OSCARABAA

DIE NACHTIGALL UND DIE ROSE. DREI MÄRCHEN. THE NIGHTINGALE AND THE ROSE. THREE FAIRY TALES

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts · Estados Unidos18.720,00 US$≈ 16.691,93 €

AN ILLUMINATED VELLUM MANUSCRIPT LEAF FROM A DUTCH BOOK OF HOURS, WITH A VERY FINE MINIATURE OF THE HARROWING OF HELL BY THE MASBiblio.com

PROBABLY FROM THE OFFICE OF THE DEAD

1470ref. 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

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts · Estados Unidos18.720,00 US$≈ 16.691,93 €

AN ILLUMINATED VELLUM MANUSCRIPT LEAF FROM A BOOK OF HOURS IN LATIN, WITH A MINIATURE OF THE MASS OF ST GREGORY, DONE BY THE MASBiblio.com

TEXT OPENING THE PASSION ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN

1415ref. ST17763Paris ca. 1415-20. Leaf: 160 x 110 mm. 6 1/4 x 3/8"; Frame: 232 x 185 mm. 9 1/8 x 7 1/4". Recto with three lines single column in a gothic book hand verso not inspected due to frame. Mounted in a wooden frame. Recto with a three-line initial in blue on gold ground embellished with ivy leaves A HALF-PAGE MINIATURE DEPICTING THE MASS OF ST. GREGORY the recently crucified Christ depicted emerging from a tomb supported by an angel and surrounded by the Arma Christi St. Gregory kneeling at the corner of the image the text and miniature framed by thick bar borders of pink blue and gold on three sides all SURROUNDED BY A FULL BORDER of hairline vines gilt ivy leaves and bezants and a few colorful flowers and acanthus. A little faint smudging in top and bottom borders very small scarcely noticeable area of blue background retouched not affecting the figures but A BEAUTIFUL LEAF the colors bright and the detail in the miniature very well preserved. Featuring carefully realized detail intriguing iconography and artistry that shows a very high degree of skill this is an important and early example of the work of the Master of the Harvard Hannibal. The subject of the present work is a well-known story about the sixth century Pope Gregory ca. 540-604 commonly known as St. Gregory the Great. According to legend Gregory was saying Mass when one of his deacons expressed a doubt in the doctrine of Transubstantiation whereby the communion bread actually becomes the body of Christ. Gregory prayed to God for a verifying sign whereupon Christ appeared in the guise of the Man of Sorrows clad in a loincloth and displaying the bloody wounds he incurred during the Crucifixion. Most Medieval miniatures depict Gregory kneeling before an altar as he says Mass accompanied by one or more deacons or assistants who bear witness to the miraculous event. In a notable departure from this norm the present miniature depicts the saint alone at the edge of the picture plane; in place of the chalice host and altar that would normally occupy the center of the scene is a considerable open tomb from which a larger-than-life-size Christ emerges. With blood still rushing from his wounds he places one hand on the edge of the tomb to steady himself while an angel supports him from behind. Christ's expression conveys both physical and mental pain as he struggles to support his own bodyweight; the angel who assists him spreads his wings protectively around the body of Christ while looking down at Gregory with a sorrowful expression knitted into his brow. The fine detail work seen in the figures' faces the angel's wings and the careful delineation of each slender finger is also carried over into more than a dozen objects crammed into the spaces in and around the tomb the rope is especially remarkable in the representation of its detail. Known as the "Arma Christi" or "Instruments of the Passion" these objects are meant to symbolize Christ's suffering. Seen here are: the cross nails and hammer that were used to crucify Christ the ladder used in the Deposition the disembodied hand symbolizing the one which slapped Christ's face the dice used by soldiers to see who would claim his seamless robe a lantern used by the soldiers who arrested Christ the 30 pieces of silver from Judas' betrayal a purple robe used in the mockery of Christ and other items that appear as part of the Passion narrative. It is also interesting to note that although a St. Gregory miniature usually appears at the beginning of the Hours of the Cross the Penitential Psalms or before the Seven Prayers of St. Gregory here rather unusually it opens a reading from John chapter 19 beginning "In illo tempore adprehendit Pilatus Iesum et flagellavit" describing the events of the Passion. This miniature can be attributed to an artist known as the Master of the Harvard Hannibal so-named for a splendid miniature painting of the "Coronation of Hannibal" prefacing a Livy in the Harvard College Library. Active from about 1415-30 in Paris and later possibly Rouen it is believed that our illuminator was a pupil of the Boucicaut Master with whom he is thought to have collaborated on several manuscripts both secular and religious. The present miniature would probably have been executed early in his career and while it certainly shows the influence of his teacher it also reveals certain stylistic tendencies that would become staples of the Master of the Harvard Hannibal's more mature work such as his preference for rich colors heavy molding of the faces and interest in decorative details. With its clever composition meticulous detail work and emotive figures that engage the viewer the present miniature is not only a beautiful work of art it also documents the precocious talent of an emerging master early in his professional career. unknown

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts · Estados Unidos18.720,00 US$≈ 16.691,93 €

AN ILLUMINATED VELLUM MANUSCRIPT LEAF FROM A DUTCH BOOK OF HOURS, WITH A VERY FINE MINIATURE OF THE NATIVITY BY THE MASTERS OF TBiblio.com

WITHOUT TEXT BUT PROBABLY OPENING PRIME

1470ref. 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

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts · Estados Unidos18.720,00 US$≈ 16.691,93 €

AN ILLUMINATED VELLUM MANUSCRIPT LEAF FROM A BOOK OF HOURS IN LATIN, WITH A MINIATURE OF THE MASS OF ST GREGORY, DONE BY THE MASABAA

Ces présentes heures à lusaige de Sens

ref. 103646Paris, Guillaume Godard, post-incunable, s.d. [c. 1510-1520], in-8, [133] ff, [4] ff. manuscrits. (deux premiers feuillets manquants), Reliure pastiche en veau havane, décor à froid sur les plats, dos à nerfs orné à froid, pièce de titre rouge, roulette dorée en bordure intérieure, tranches dorées, Signatures : [A]6, B4, Ab6, a-k8, [n.s.]8, B8, D8, D8. Introuvables Heures à l'usage de Sens, imprimées par Guillaume Godard, sur vélin, illustrées de bordures et de grands bois issus du fonds du libraire parisien Antoine Vérard. Cet exemplaire est vraisemblablement un UNICUM : aucun exemplaire survivant n'est connu. Seul Brunet signale en avoir vu un ? et qui est apparemment le nôtre, les même feuillets en tête de volume étant manquants. Le texte est en gothique, en latin sur une colonne : il est orné de lettrines et bouts-de-ligne enluminés sur fonds rouges ou bleus. Les feuillets du calendrier sont réglés en rouge. L'ouvrage ouvre sur le calendrier (le f. de titre et celui du mois de janvier sont manquants), composé d'un feuillet par mois et d'une maxime s'y rapportant sous la forme de quatrains dans le style de Nostradamus ou Matthieu Lansbert*, en français moyen. Suivent enfin les prières liturgiques. L'usage de ce livre d'heure est donné au feuillet K8 v, avec le nom de l'imprimeur : "Ces présentes heures à l'usaige de Sens toutes au long sans rient requerir. Ont esté imprimées à Paris. Pour Guillaume Godar demeur[an]t à Paris au bout du pont au change devant l'horloge du palays. A l'enseigne de l'homme sauvaige". L'adresse réapparait au colophon. Les pages imprimées déploient leur texte dans des encadrements de motifs végétaux Renaissance, habités d'animaux fantastiques et de figures anthropomorphes. Certains sont compartimentés de vignettes historiées issues de l'histoire religieuse et, sur d'autres, se déroule la Danse macabre du libraire-imprimeur Antoine Vérard : ces 48 jolis blocs avaient été utilisés par Vérard lui-même pour les marges des livres d'heures qu'il fit imprimer à partir de 1500, avant d'être remployés par Guillaume Godard, au moins à partir de 1517, date à laquelle il fait imprimer des Heures à l'usage de Rome par Nicolas Higman**. Les prières liturgiques sont illustrées de dix-sept bois à pleine page, qui proviennent eux aussi du fonds d'Antoine Vérard : précisément, il s'agit des copies des gravures sur métal que Jean Pichore avait réalisées pour les frères Hardouin et Simon Vostre***, dont l'emploi par Godard est attesté dès 1514 pour une édition des Heures à l'usage de Rome****. L'iconographie est issue de l'Ancien et du Nouveau Testament, ainsi que les Apocryphes : Saint Jean l'évangéliste et l'épreuve de la coupe empoisonnée; l'Arrestation de Jésus et le baiser de Judas; l'Arbre de Jessé; l'Annonciation; La Sibylle de Tibur annonçant à Auguste la naissance du Christ; la Crucifixion; la Pentecôte; l'Adoration des bergers; l'Annonce aux bergers; l'Adoration des mages; la Présentation au temple; le Massacre des Innocents; la Dormition de la Vierge; Urie convoqué par David; la Résurrection de Lazare; la Sainte Trinité, avec une foule de dévots; et la Messe de saint Grégoire. Au verso du dernier feuillet figure enfin la célèbre marque typographique de l'imprimeur Guillaume Godard, sous la forme d'un rébus, et son explication en vers français ("Saluons Marie priant Jésus en croix..."). Le volume se clôt sur quatre feuillets manuscrits en français, rédigés à la même époque, n'appartenant pas à l'ouvrage, intitulés "Oraison à notre seigneur bien devote laquelle contient huit couplets". Les initiales et les bouts-de-ligne sont rehaussés de motifs de chaînettes à l'encre jaune. Titre et premier feuillet du calendrier (A1 et A2) manquants. Volume rogné court, en particulier dans la marge de tête, avec atteintes aux encadrements typographiques. Infimes épidermures, quelques taches. Petit manque Couverture rigide

Librairie Alain Brieux · Paris, Francia18.000,00 €

(ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM - MODERN). HOLTZ, JOHANN, Scribe and IlluminatorBiblio.com

JESUS CHRISTUS GESTERN UND HEUTE UND DERSELBE AUCH IN EWIGKEIT

1925ref. ST16974Flensburg ca. 1925. 325 x 240 mm. 12 7/8 x 9 1/2". 4 p.l. first two blank 4 leaves 144 pp. 4 leaves last blank. Single column 31 lines in a fine calligraphic hand. FLAMBOYANT DEEP RED MOROCCO ELABORATELY INLAID AND GILT BY W. A. PETERSEN stamp-signed on rear turn-in covers framed by inlaid white morocco strip tooled with gilt triangles enclosing sides in a bead-and-lozenge pattern of gilt-outlined mandorlas containing a red cross on a blue background alternating with an inlaid white lozenge upper cover with brass and enamel cornerpieces featuring the symbols of the four Evangelists each of these set with a colored glass gem central panel divided into four compartments each containing a small star tool central brass and enamel medallion with a six-pointed star emblazoned with a sun and a red enamel "Y" two straps with brass and enamel clasps marked with Alpha and Omega lower cover with brass cornerpieces raised bands spine with gilt-ruled compartments turn-ins tooled with plain and dotted gilt rules and gilt stars deep pink moiré silk doublures shot with gold thread all edges gilt. In a box with a velvet-lined maroon buckram base and green marbled paper lid. With many initials of various sizes painted blue red green purple maroon or gilt three three-line initials in gold on a colored ground with the shape of a cross one two-line initial and 13 four- to six-line initials in gold on a multi-colored ground in a geometric design SEVEN HISTORIATED INITIALS each measuring seven to 11 lines in length FIVE MINIATURES MEASURING A THIRD TO THREE-QUARTERS OF THE PAGE each featuring a scene from the life of the Virgin or the life of Christ SIX FULL-PAGE ILLUMINATIONS incorporating text of different sizes and fonts many colors and patterns five of which contain a large central gilt circle the first of these completely filled with gold the others with a religious symbol in pen on bare vellum every page with a unique border composed of a thin frame with different geometric designs in gold and color some pages with an additional column of floral and foliate designs running down the left side of the text within the border plus additional flourishes elsewhere. Text in multiple sizes and fonts occasional words or phrases penned in color or gold. Boards somewhat bowed as often with bindings on vellum works occasional naturally occurring variations in the grain of the vellum a few instances of faint thumb smudging in corners but A BEAUTIFUL MANUSCRIPT IN ESPECIALLY FINE CONDITION the vellum smooth and fresh the illuminations shimmering and the binding unworn. Replete with gold illumination and bright colors evoking the appearance of Medieval manuscripts and stained glass this is an exquisitely produced work relating the life and words of Christ divided into five thematic parts: Light Word Spirit Death and Resurrection. Each part opens with a sumptuous full-page illumination reminiscent of the "carpet page" painting found in early Insular manuscripts; in the present work our artist fills the frame with a dazzling mixture of text and decorative patterns around a lustrous gilt medallion calling to mind the sun a resplendent halo or the Host. Although much of the decoration both on these full-page illuminations and elsewhere in this work remind one of Medieval manuscripts and are often composed of geometric designs and colors suggestive of stained glass the overall style here is decidedly modern. The palette is fresh and bold while the emphasis on strong lines and patterns shows the influence of the reigning Art Deco movement with echoes of the Art Nouveau movement that preceded it. Traditional biblical narratives in the form of historiated initials and miniatures are also presented here in refreshing ways: the image of the Sermon on the Mount for example places the viewer directly among the masses; we experience the event as a member of the audience would looking over the shoulders of the people in front of us to see Christ orating from a small hill silhouetted against a bright pink sky. Another memorable image--and the largest figural composition in this manuscript--is the Crucifixion. Though he has used a fairly standard composition the artist plays with our perception of space by setting the scene on a dark blue ground that envelopes the figures in a shadowy void; the only light source seems to come from the gold lettering immediately above the cross radiating off the face of Christ and to a lesser degree off the grief-stricken faces of John the Evangelist and the Virgin. All are pictured without haloes thus emphasizing the humanity of Christ over his divinity. As a whole this manuscript is extremely impressive in terms of artistry and technical execution and the prolific decoration and calligraphic variety hold the viewer's interest page after page. The equally impressive binding--modelled after the look of a Medieval Gospel book complete with enamel-like bosses and jewels--is fitting for a work that pays homage to the past while celebrating contemporary art and style. The life and work of calligrapher and illuminator Johann Holtz 1875-1944 is poorly documented but he seems to have been active in Flensberg Germany; he also worked as a graphic artist. Binder W. A. Petersen has proven equally illusive but we know that his workshop was also located in Flensburg. Given the town's close proximity to Denmark we might speculate whether Petersen was somehow related to the Copenhagen-based binder Immanuel Petersen who took over from master binder D. L. Clément in 1877. Despite the lack of biographical information on our artist and binder the work here needs no provenance information to be pleasing in every way from the gleaming binding to the beautifully preserved and magnificently illuminated contents. unknown

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts · Estados Unidos20.280,00 US$≈ 18.082,93 €

(ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM - MODERN). HOLTZ, JOHANN, Scribe and IlluminatorABAA

JESUS CHRISTUS GESTERN UND HEUTE UND DERSELBE AUCH IN EWIGKEIT

Phillip J. Pirages Fine Books and Medieval Manuscripts · Estados Unidos20.280,00 US$≈ 18.082,93 €

A MEDIEVAL ILLUMINATED VELLUM MANUSCRIPT LEAF WITH A BREATHTAKING MINIATURE OF THE CRUCIFIXION, FROM A BOOK OF HOURS IN FRENCHBiblio.com

TEXT PRESUMABLY FROM THE HOURS OF THE CROSS

1440ref. 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