Dr. Jörn Günther • Antiquariat
www.guenther-rarebooks.com

CONTENTS

Illuminated manuscripts

  1. Canones conciliorum, written by an insular scribe,
    Northern Italy, c. 775
  2. Psalter, so-called Bernwardpsalter,
    Germany, Hildesheim, c. 1020
  3. Gospel Lectionary, Byzantium,
    Constantinople,c. 1100
  4. St Augustine, Enarrationes in Psalmos, Upper
    Austria, Lambach Abbey, second half 12th century
  5. Vita Christi, Life of Christ and of the Virgin,
    Northern England,York, c.1190-1200,
    and East Anglia, Norfolk, c.1480-90
  6. Antiphonary, illuminated choirbook, Italy,Venice
    (San Marco), c. 1250 (between 1238 and 1264)
  7. Psalter and biblia latina with the interpretation
    of the Hebrew names, France, Lorraine, Metz, c. 1250
  8. Psalter for the use of Brussels, Northern France,
    Paris, c. 1260
  9. Biblia latina with the interpretations of
    the Hebrew names, Southern France,Toulouse,
    last quarter of the 13th century
  10. Psalter, illuminiated for Gui de Dampierre,
    Southern Netherlands, Bruges, c. 1280
  11. Speculum humanae salvationis, illuminated
    with pen-and-ink drawings by Magister Konrad,
    Austria, before 1386
  12. Book of hours, use of Chartres, illuminated by
    the Bedford workshop, France, Paris, c. 1400-10
  13. Psalter, Spain, Barcelona, shortly after 1400
    and c. 1440-50
  14. Book of hours, use of Rome, illuminated by
    Pseudo-Jacquemart, France, Paris, c. 1410
  15. The so-called Wardington Hours, hours of
    the Passion, illuminated by the Bedford workshop,
    France, Paris, c. 1410 and 1430
  16. Wirnt von Grafenberg, Wigalois (manuscript k),
    illustrated by the circle of the Workshop of 1418
    and of Diebold Lauber,Alsace, c. 1420-30
  17. I.Thomas de Chobham, Summa de poenitentia,
    dat. 1422; II. Stephan Palecz, Utilia contra errantes;
    III. Johannes Andreae, Processus iudicalis – et al.;
    Austria, Seitenstetten, c. 1422
  18. Joachim di Fiore Vaticinia sive Prophetiae
    et Imagines Summorum Pontificum,
    illustrated by the workshop of Lorenzo
    di Pietro ‘Il Vecchietta’, Benvenuto di Giovanni,
    Italy, Siena, c. 1450 and c. 1464
  19. Bruder Philipp, Marienleben
    and other texts, Upper Rhine, c. 1450
  20. German prayerbook with metalcuts, Germany,
    Cologne and Tyrol, Diocese of Brixen,
    dated 1458
  21. Book of hours, use of Paris, illuminated by
    the Master of Jacques de Luxembourg, France,
    Paris, c. 1460-70
  22. Book of hours, use of Rome, illuminated by the
    Master of Marguerite de Liederkerke, Flanders,
    Hainault, Mons or Valenciennes, c. 1500
  23. Croy-Arenberg Book of Hours, use of Sarum,
    with miniatures by the Master of Sir George
    Talbot, the Master of the First Prayer Book of
    Maximilian and the Master of the David Scenes
    in the Grimani Breviary, Flanders, Ghent,
    1505 and c. 1510-20
  24. Berault Stuart (Bernard Stewart),
    Traité sur l’art de la guerre, Northern France, Paris,
    second quarter 16th century
  25. Battista Agnese, Portolan Atlas, Italy,Venice,
    signed and dated 5 February 1544


    26. Early Prints

  26. Nativity, Single-leaf print, Southern Germany,
    c. 1440
  27. The Good Sheperd – ihesus xpristus,
    Single-leaf print, Southern Germany,
    West-Swabian, c. 1460-70
  28. Block-book – Ars Memorandi per figuras
    Evangelistarum, first print of first edition,
    Southern Germany, Nuremberg, c. 1470
  29. Block-book – Der Antichrist und die fünfzehn Zeichen
    Germany, Nuremberg: Hans Briefmaler 1472,
    second edition, i.e. Hans Sporer, 1470
  30. Celestial vision at Constantinople. Kunt und
    wissennt sey allermeniglich das ein sölich geschicht
    unnd erschreckliches erschein gesehen ist worden hinter
    Canstantinopel ..., Single leaf print, Southern
    Germany, Nuremberg c. 1491
  31. Biblia Latina – A single leaf,Mainz: Johann
    Gutenberg and Johann Fust,‘c. 1454/55’; rather 1452-1454
  32. Psalterium Benedictum Congregationis Bursfeldensis
    – A single leaf, Mainz: Johann Fust
    and Peter Schöffer, 29 August 1459
  33. I.Thomas de Aquino. Summa de articulis fidei,
    Mainz: Printer of the Catholicon before 1460
    or Peter Schöffer c. 1469
    II. Matthaeus de Cracovia. Dialogus rationis
    et conscientiae de frequenti usu Communionis,
    Mainz: see above, c. 1469;
    III.Antoninus Florentinus. Confessionale:
    Defecerunt.With: Johannes Chrysostomus. Sermo
    de poenitentia, Cologne: Ulrich Zell, c. 1470
  34. Johannes Balbus, Catholicon, Mainz: printer of
    the Catholicon, probably Gutenberg workshop
    1460, c. 1472, or 1469
  35. Rudimentum Novitiorum, Lubeck: Lucas Brandis,
    5 August 1475
  36. Speculum humanae salvationis, German:
    ein spiegel der menschlichen behaltnisze,
    Basel: Bernhard Richel, 31 August 1476
  37. Conrad von Megenberg, Das buch der Natur,
    Augsburg: Johann Bämler, 20 August 1481
  38. Auslegung – Messe singen oder lesen wer
    das thun sol, wenn, wie oder wo, Nuremberg:
    Friedrich Creussner, not after 1482
  39. Jacobus de Theramo, Belial. Cy commence le proces
    de Belial a l’encontre de Ihesus. Lyon, Mathias Huss:
    19 May 1486
  40. Compilation of ten French
    literary incunabula, Paris, 1488-c. 95, among them Olivier
    de la Marche, Le Chevalier Délibéré. Paris: Guy Marchand
    or Antoine Caillaut for Antoine Vérard,
    8 August 1488
  41. Olivier de la Marche. Le Chevalier Délibéré,
    Gouda, printer of the Chevalier délibéré,
    Collaciebroeders, after 31 October 1489
  42. Petrus de Crescentiis, Ruralia commoda.
    In commodum ruralium cum figuris libri duodecim,
    Speyer: Peter Drach, not before 1493
  43. Alanus de Rupe, Von dem psalter unnd Rosen
    krancz unser lieben frauen.Wie man den beten sol,
    Augsburg: Anton Sorg, 1492
  44. Der Doten dantz mit figuren. Clage und
    Antwort schon von allen staten der welt,
    Mainz: Jacob Meydenbach, c. 1492
  45. Fiore di virtù. Questa sie una utilissima operetta
    acada uno fidel christiano chiamata fior de virtu,Venice:
    Matteo Capcasa di Codeca, 15 January 1493
  46. Christophorus Columbus, De insulis nuper
    in mari Indico inventis, and Carolus Verardus,
    Historia Baetica. In laudem Serenissimi
    Ferdinandi Hispaniarum regis Bethicae & regni
    Granatae obsidio, victoria & triumphus,
    Basel: Johann Bergmann von Olpe, 1494
  47. Scriptores Astronomici veteres: Julius Firmicus
    Maternus, Mathesis and other Greek and Roman
    astronomical texts,Venice:Aldus Manutius, 1499
  48. a: La dance macabre des hommes, Paris,
    widow of Jehan Treperel and Jehan Jehannot,
    c. 1512-22 234

     b: La dance macabre des femmes toutes
    hystories & augmentee de nouveau, Paris,
    Jehan Treperel (II), c. 1525-32
  49. Martin Luther, Das newe testament deutzsch,
    Wittenberg: Melchior Lotter, 1524
  50. Aurelius Theodosius Macrobius, In somnium
    Scipionis libri II. Saturnaliorum libri VII.
    Basel: Johannes Herwagen the Elder, 1535

    Key to bibliographical references

An exquisite Flemish book of hours with reused miniatures

23 Croy-Arenberg Book of Hours, use of Sarum (Salisbury)

Manuscript on vellum, with miniatures by the Master of Sir George Talbot, the Master of the First Prayer Book of Maximilian and the Master of the David Scenes in the Grimani Breviary. Flanders (Ghent?), 1505 and c. 1510/1520.

211 x 153 mm. 206 leaves (fol. 15 missing) plus pastedowns glued to the front and back covers: I2+1+1+1+1, II8, III6+1-1, IV6,V-IX8, X8+1, XI8, XII-XIV8+1, XV6+1+1+1, XVI-XVIII8, XIX8+1, XX8 XXI6+1, XXII8, XXIII8+1, XXIV8, XXV8+1, XXVI4+1+1. Foliation in pencil in the upper right corners. – Written space 108 x 74 mm, ruled in red, one column of 18 lines, written in a regular Textualis Formata in black ink with headings in red. One- and two-line initials consisting of golden branches on red, blue, green or grey-violet ground, line fillers in the same colours. 20 six- and seven-line initials in white and gold on blue or violet ground.All other pages with decoration in the lower and outer margins consisting of flowers, fruit, animals, fabulous creatures, goldsmith objects, jewellery,musical instruments and roundels with scenes from the danse macabre. 15 full-page miniatures pasted in, 44 smaller (seven- to nine-line) miniatures and historiated initials plus 100 illuminated borders. – Fol. 16 slightly rubbed, otherwise very good condition. – Later binding: velvet and silk over wooden boards. Spine with six raised bands.

PROVENANCE: 1. The Croy-Arenberg Hours was made for an English patron, as is evident from the liturgical use and from the saints of the calendar and the litany (esp. John of Beverley, who was venerated in York). The codex, however, never reached England. 2. Charles de Croy, Duke of Chimay (1455-1527), purchased the manuscript, probably for his daughter Anne (1502-39) on the occasion of her marriage in 1520 with Philippe de Croy (1496-1568), first Duke of Aerschot (arms of the family and the Duke on fol. 2). 3. Charles de Ligne, prince d’Arenberg and Anne de Croy (their arms on fol. 101v). In 1841 the codex passed into the hands of Prosper-Ludwig von Arenberg (1785-1861) and Ludmilla princess von Lobkowicz (their arms on fol. 204). The library of the Dukes of Arenberg was dissolved in the 1950s-60s (cat. Seligmann 1952; Heyen 1987; Heyen/Behr 1990). 4. Private collection, Europe.

TEXT: fol. 2v-14: Calendar – fol. 16-21v: Prayers – fol. 22- 27: Gospel Lessons – fol. 28-44: Hours of the Virgin – fol. 44v-52: Memorials to the Saints – fol. 52v-53v: Hours of the Cross – fol. 54-86: Hours of the Virgin – fol. 87-97v: Prayers to the Virgin – fol. 98-110v: Prayers to Christ – fol. 112-113v:Verses of St George – fol. 114-118: Memorials to the Saints – fol. 119-140v: Penitential Psalms with Litany – fol. 140v-141v:Verses of St Bernard – fol. 143-180v: Office of the Dead – fol. 182-194v: Psalms of the Passion – fol. 196- 198v: Prayers to the Trinity – fol. 199-204: Rosary.

ILLUMINATION: Full-page Miniatures: fol. 1v: Salvator mundi – fol. 27v: Annunciation – fol. 36v: Visitation – fol. 59v: Nativity; lacking Annunciation to the Shepherds and Adoration of the Magi – fol. 64v: Flight into Egypt – fol. 69v: Presentation – fol. 80v: Death of the Virgin – fol. 86v: Mary with the Christ Child – fol. 94v: Mary on a Crescent Moon – fol. 101v: Crucifixion with Passion Scenes – fol. 111v: Mass of St Gregory – fol. 118v: Bathsheba – fol. 142v: Deathbed – fol. 181v: Pietà – fol. 195v:Trinity. Small miniatures on fol. 22, 23v, 25, 26v, 44v, 45, 45v, 46, 46v, 47, 47v, 48, 48v, 49, 49v, 50, 50v, 50bis, 50bis v, 51, 51v, 52v, 88v, 89v, 98, 98v, 103v, 104, 104v, 105, 106, 106v, 107 (2), 107v, 108, 108v, 109, 109v, 110, 114, 116, 117v, 140v, 196, 196v, 197. All 15 large miniatures have been pasted into the manuscript; the Salvator mundi (fol. 1v) would originally have preceded the prayer to the Virgin (fol. 15v). The Croy-Arenberg Hours originate from the workshop of the Master of Sir George Talbot (Thoss 1987), who is responsible for most of the illumination. Exceptions are the initials depicting the scenes of the Passion (fol. 103v-110), which are by a collaborator, and nine large miniatures (fol. 36v, 59v, 64v, 69v, 80v, 181v), copies after compositions by Simon Marmion (c. 1420-89) in the La Flora Hours in Naples, which are the work of the Master of the First Prayer Book of the Emperor Maximilian. Fernand de Mély discovered a date in the bonnet of Simeon in the Presentation scene (fol. 69v) which reads AN/MO/DV, “AN[N]O MDV”. The image of the Salvator (fol. 1v) may be attributed to the Master of the David Scenes in the Grimani Breviary. At a later date the positions of some miniatures in the manuscript were changed, and two miniatures were added (fol. 27v and 118v). It is possible that two miniatures of the original cycle were removed at the same time (London, Sotheby’s, 5 December 1994, lot 15). The full-page Virgin on the Crescent Moon (fol. 94v) is a copy of Dürer’s engraving of 1508 (Meder 32); the Trinity (fol. 195v) may be compared to Gerard Horenbout’s composition in the Spinola Hours (Los Angeles, J.P. Getty Museum, ms. Ludwig IX. 18, fol. 10v), which should be dated no earlier than 1515.The multipartite composition of the Crucifixion (fol. 101v) corresponds to the taste of the 1520s. The trompe-l'oeil borders from the workshop of the Talbot Master are particularly charming, the choice of motifs, partly relating to the texts, being almost unique. This technique reaches a first climax in the penitential psalms (fol. 119v- 128), but is surpassed in the marginal decoration of the Hours of the Dead, with a danse macabre of more than 70 figures. Another unusual feature is the ornamental panels that fill the lower portions of the written space where a text ends. The extremely rich decoration of the Croy-Arenberg Hours raises the manuscript to an outstanding level.

LITERATURE: Exh. cat. Düsseldorf 1904, pp. 180-181; Clemen 1907, pp. 74-95; Beissel 1906-1907, pp. 73-74, ill. 1- 4; de Mély 1911, pp. 243-53; de Mély 1913, pp. 348ff; Winkler 1925, pp. 128, 168; Lemaire, pp. S. 96, 101; Smeyers/van der Stock 1996, p. 130, with ill. Martin 1980; Heyen 1987; Heyen/Behr 1990; exh. cat. New York 1994; exh. cat. Brussels 1996, pp. 201-205; As-Vijvers 2002, exh. cat. Los Angeles/London 2003.