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

CONTENTS

Manuscripts

  1. Glossed Gospels of St Luke and St John,
    Paris or northern France, c. 1210
  2. Psalter with calendar for the diocese of Trier,
    Germany,Trier, c. 1220-40
  3. Psalter and book of hours for the use of Paris,
    illuminated in the du Prat atelier, France, Paris,
    c. 1250-60
  4. Biblia latina, pocket bible, France, Paris, c. 1250
  5. Antiphonary, sanctoral volume, Italy,
    Emilia-Romagna, c. 1270-75
  6. Psalter for the use of Auxerre, France,
    Burgundy or Paris, c. 1300
  7. Antiphonary for a Franciscan convent,
    illuminated by Neri da Rimini, Italy,
    Emilia-Romagna, dated 1314
  8. Vita Sancti Antonii Eremitae – Inventio et
    Translatio, illuminated by the Maestro del 1328,
    Italy, Bologna, c. 1320
  9. Schönrainer Liederhandschrift. Middle High
    German Minnesang manuscript, Germany,
    Hesse, c. 1330
  10. Missale Romanum, illuminated in the workshop
    of Cristoforo Orimina, Italy, Naples, c. 1355
  11. Boethius, De consolatione philosophiae and
    Jean de Meun, Testament, France, Paris, c. 1400
  12. Guido de Columna, Historia destructionis Troiae
    and Giovanni Boccaccio, Il Filostrato, Italy,
    Naples, dated 1414 and 1413
  13. Book of hours for the use of Paris, illuminated
    by the workshop of the Bedford Master, France,
    Paris, c. 1405-10
  14. Compilation of pastoral and mystical texts
    from the library of the Celestines of Marcoussis,
    illuminated by the Hoo Master, France, Paris,
    c. 1425-35
  15. Book of hours for the use of Toul, illuminated
    by the Master of Pommersfelden 351, France,
    Toul or Metz, c. 1435-40
  16. Dominican hymnal, illuminated by the
    Master of 1446, Italy, Bologna, c. 1450
  17. Nicolaus de Lyra, Postilla litteralis super
    Vetus Testamentum, two volumes, Italy,
    Ferrara?, 1441-46
  18. Compilation of history bible and world chronicle,
    the Antichrist and the XV signs and other texts,
    Austria, c. 1450
  19. Book of hours and psalter in Dutch, illuminated
    by the Master of the Haarlem Bible, Masters of
    Otto von Moerdrecht, Masters of Gijsbrecht
    van Brederode et al., northern Netherlands,
    Haarlem, dated 1453
  20. Book of hours for the use of Rome, with
    calendar of Bruges, illuminated by the Master of
    Buchanan E.5, Flanders, Bruges, c. 1450-60
  21. Chronique anonyme universelle, parchment
    scroll, illuminated by the Master of Étienne
    Sauderat, France, Paris?, c. 1450 with additions
    after 1461 and 1467
  22. Psalter with hymnal, illuminated
    by the workshop of Bartolomeo Varnucci,
    Italy, Florence, c. 1460-70
  23. Martin Le Franc, L’Estrif de Fortune et de Vertu,
    illuminated by the Master of the Échevinage
    de Rouen, France, Rouen, c. 1465-75
  24. Book of hours for the use of Utrecht in the Dutch
    translation of Geert Grote, illuminated by one of
    the Masters of Gijsbrecht van Brederode, northern
    Netherlands, probably Utrecht, c. 1465-70
  25. Missale Fratrum Minorum for the convent
    of S. Francesco di Montone, near Perugia,
    illuminated by Bartelomeo and Giapeco
    Caporali, Italy, Perugia, 1469
  26. Book of hours for the use of Rome with
    adaptations for Poitiers and a calendar for
    Angers, illuminated by Maître François,
    France, Paris, c. 1470
  27. Psalter with hymnal, illuminated by the
    workshop of Mariano del Buono di Jacopo,
    Italy, Florence, c. 1470-75
  28. Book of hours for the use of Rome, illuminated
    by Martino da Modena, Italy, Ferrara, c. 1480-85
  29. Book of hours for Dominican use, illuminated
    by the workshop of Matteo Felice, Italy,
    Naples, c. 1480
  30. Giovanni Boccaccio, Elegia di Madonna
    Fiammetta, illuminated by Attavante degli
    Attavanti, Italy, Florence, c. 1480
  31. Book of hours for the use of Rome, Italy,
    Sicily or Naples, c. 1480-90
  32. Olivier de la Marche, Le chevalier délibéré and
    other texts, Flanders, c. 1484
  33. Prayerbook in German, Germany, Nuremberg,
    c. 1495-1500
  34. Fencing treatise with pen-and-ink drawings,
    southern Germany,Augsburg, c. 1490-1500
  35. Book of hours for the use of Paris in Latin
    and French, illuminated by an artist from the
    circle of Jean Pichore, France, Paris, c. 1500
  36. Passion prayerbook in Latin with a prayer for
    the Church of All Saints in Wittenberg, Flanders,
    Bruges, after 1517
  37. Diploma for Statilio Paolino on his award of a
    doctorate in law from the University of
    Perugia, Italy, Perugia, dated 29 October 1582
  38. Album with Italian, mainly Venetian, costumes and
    characters from the Commedia dell’Arte, Italy,
    Venice?, first quarter of the 17th century

    Miniatures

  39. Funeral mass for a dignitary, miniature from a
    breviary, France,Avignon, c. 1340-45 128
  40. A pope distributing the decretals, miniature from
    a manuscript of canon law, France, Languedoc,
    c. 1320
  41. The Adoration of the Magi, historiated initial ‘D’
    on a leaf from a missal, Italy, Siena, c. 1400-10
  42. Two martyr saints, historiated initial ‘P’ on a leaf
    from a gradual for Lucca Cathedral, illuminated by
    Martino di Bartolomeo. Italy, Lucca, c. 1394-95
  43. Investiture of St Clare on a cutting from a
    Franciscan antiphonary, Italy, Bologna or Veneto,
    c. 1430-40
  44. Trinity, historiated initial ‘G’ on a cutting from
    a choirbook, France, Savoy, c. 1450 138
  45. King David playing the psaltery, historiated
    initial ‘E’ on a leaf from a psalter, illuminated by
    Jacopo da Balsemo, Italy, Bergamo, c. 1450-55
  46. The Creation of Eve, historiated initial ‘I’ on a
    cutting from a choirbook, illuminated by
    Bonifacio Bembo, Italy, Lombardy, c. 1445
  47. Jesaia before the Almighty, historiated initial ‘A’
    on a leaf from an antiphonary, illuminated by
    a follower of the Maestro delle Vitae Imperatorum,
    Italy, Lombardy, c. 1460
  48. Batsheba bathing, miniature from the Hours of
    Guyot II Le Peley, illuminated by Jean Colombe,
    France, Bourges, c. 1480
  49. The miracle of St Michael on Mount Gargano,
    miniature from a choirbook, illuminated by
    Attavante degli Attavanti, Italy, Florence,
    between 1473 and 1502
  50. Christ taking leave of his mother, miniature
    mounted on wood, illuminated by Jacopo del
    Giallo?, Italy, Rome, c. 1540

    Key to bibliographical references

A luxurious small-scale Bible from the time of Saint Louis

4 Biblia latina. Pocket Bible, with the prologue of St Jerome and the Interpretationes nominum hebraicorum

Illuminated manuscript on vellum. France, Paris, c. 1250.

138 x 90 mm. 639 leaves of very thin vellum, only two leaves missing (after fol. 474 and fol. 526), modern foliation in pencil. – Written space: 113 x 63 mm, double columns of 46 lines to the page, in a neat, minute Textualis (‘pearl script’) in black ink, versals stroked in red, chapter headings and rubrics alternately in blue and red. Numerous penwork initials with long extensions into the margins, 63 decorative initials, partly with drolleries, 80 historiated initials. Medieval notes in the margins here and there. – In fine condition throughout, slight rubbing of some miniatures, margins slightly trimmed. – 17th-century red morocco binding, gilt decoration, gilt edges, spine restored using old material, flyleaves of marbled paper.

PROVENANCE: 1. England, Kimbolton Castle, seat of the Dukes of Manchester, see exlibris with shelf-mark. 2. Private collection England.

TEXT: This manuscript contains the complete text of the Vulgate, that is all books of the Old and the New Testament with their respective prologues. In line with the traditional sequence of texts of Vulgate Bibles this manuscript includes at its beginning the prologue of St Jerome.The biblical texts are followed by the Interpretationes nominum hebraicorum, an index arranged in alphabetical order.The two missing folios are from the beginnings of the Gospel of St Matthew and of the Epistles of St Paul.

ILLUMINATION: Historiated initials on fol.: 1, 4v, 29, 49, 62, 80, 96, 107, 118, 120v, 136v, 149, 163v, 177v, 191, 207, 211v, 218v, 226, 231, 238, 245, 257v, 261, 264, 266v, 269v, 273, 276v, 279v, 286, 297, 300v, 302v, 310, 331, 356v, 385v, 388, 392, 417, 427v, 431, 432v, 435v, 436, 437, 439, 440v, 442, 442v, 443, 444, 448, 450, 454v, 488v, 498v, 515, 432, 537v, 541v, 543v, 545, 546v, 548, 549, 550, 551v, 552v, 553, 553v, 558, 573v, 575, 576v, 578, 579v, 580, 581. This bible of small format is a typical example of 13thcentury French manuscript production in Paris. Apart from large-scale deluxe manuscripts, books of a smaller, handier size were produced from the beginning of the 13th century onwards. Owing to the use of extremely thin vellum and a tiny script measuring only a few millimetres – the so-called ‘pearl script’ - they could contain the entire Holy Scripture in a single volume. These manuscripts, for which the term pocket bible was coined, served the purpose of study copies and could be carried around even on journeys. Although our small codex was designed for daily use, it is distinguished by its especially elaborate decoration. No less than 80 historiated initials decorate and illustrate the beginnings of the various biblical books, while the respective prologues are marked by illuminated initials with stylized floral or foliate decoration and drolleries. In addition, the chapter headings are generally highlighted with red and blue penwork initials whose extensions ornate the margins of the pages. The division of the psalter is noteworthy, too. Psalms 1, 26, 38, 52, 68, 80, 97 and 109 are marked by historiated initials.The eightfold division thus created corresponds to the liturgical use of the psalter in accordance with the eight canonical hours. During the reign of Saint Louis (1226-70) manuscript production and illumination in Paris and the region of Ile-de- France reached an unprecedented peak. Numerous workshops often specializing in the production of certain book genres furnished the demand for manuscripts on behalf of both the French court and its milieu and the newly founded university.The capital thus attracted artists from other cultural centres, who settled in Paris, sometimes for decades. Robert Branner’s studies of this extensive legacy of manuscripts have been transmitted in his groundbreaking publications (cf. especially: Branner 1977). Although it did not pass uncontested, the stylistic classification established by Branner has not lost its validity and is still frequently cited. While many of the bibles published by him are large-scale codices, they share many important features with our manuscript, including the overall layout of the pages, the shape of the initials and the subjects chosen for illustration. The initials of the present bible are to be dated around the mid-13th century. The tiny figures with their rather sturdy bodies delineated by black outlines, the muted colour palette dominated by blue, mauve and red and the shape of the initials with their ornamental extensions can best be compared with the production of the workshops situated in Paris itself. Branner most prominently distinguished the Gautier Lebaube atelier, the Mathurin atelier, the Du Prat atelier (cf. no. 3) and the Soissons atelier (Branner 1977, pp. 71-80, fig. 144-199), whose activities extended from the 1230s until the end of the 1270s. As they seem to have collaborated with each other, however, their respective productions are not as easily told apart as this classification might suggest. The impressive collection of seven pocket bibles in the Württembergische Landesbibliothek Stuttgart (cod. bibl. 4° 19; cod. bibl. 8° 2-5 and 18; cod. HB II 3) may be cited in comparison to the codex at hand, as it offers a cross-section of the production of this manuscript genre in the second and third quarters of the century (Sauer/Kuder 1996, pp. 12-14, cat. nos. 60-62 and 69-72).

LITERATURE: The manuscript is hitherto unpublished. Branner 1977; Sauer/Kuder 1996.