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

The rediscovery and reunion of the two parts of an outstanding German manuscript

33 Prayerbook in German

Illuminated manuscript on vellum. Germany, Nuremberg, c. 1495-1500.

c. 122 x 85-88 mm, slightly trimmed. 140 leaves (of originally 149 or 150), rebound and quire-scheme reconstructed: I10-1, II-III10, IV-V10-1,VI10, VII-VIII10-1, IX-XI10, XII10-1, XIII10-2, XIV-XV10-1.Apparently correct foliation in ink in the upper right corner, not always legible due to the later trimming of the manuscript, miscounting from quire XI onwards. Incorrect modern foliation in pencil survives on many leaves. Quire numeration in lower right corner. – Written space: 80 x 50 mm, 15 lines per page.Text in black ink in Cursiva Formata (with elements of Fractura), ornated with cadells. Rubrics in red, capitals mainly stroked in red, in some passages alternately red and blue. On the first leaves some text portions erased and re-written in a 19th-century hand. – Numerous decorative threeto eight-line initials consisting of multi-coloured acanthus leaves, sometimes ending in masks, partly on gold ground and set within elaborate “carved” frames. – 14 leaves with border decoration of intertwined acanthus tendrils, blossoms, often incorporating naturalistically rendered birds, putti and an ape dressed in a red frock (fol. 2), a walking man dressed in colourful garments (fol. 69). 21 miniatures (of originally probably 28). – Generally very good condition, some minor stains, some cuts towards the folds of the leaves where miniatures have been excised, fol. 135 remargined. – Rebound with text in the old binding: red velvet over wooden boards, blind-stamped with flowers, edges gilt and gauffred. Modern leather drop back box.

PROVENANCE: An adventurous history lies behind the small prayer book, which has now been reconstructed and reunited in one volume. At an unknown date all miniatures had been excised and 21 of them sold as a separate slim volume.The earliest record of the miniatures dates from 1884. 1.Ambroise Firmin-Didot, Paris, cf. his sale 1884, lot. 22. 2. Henri Vever, Paris. The main portion of the manuscript, containing the text, had long thought to be lost but seems to have been in private hands in Germany for some time. 1. Sale, Dörling, Hamburg, 5/6 Dec. 1972, lot 1502. 2. Private collection Germany.

TEXT: The prayers can be divided into four groups: Fol. 1-57 are addressed mainly to God the Father, to Christ and the Holy Trinity, complemented with two prayers to the Virgin and one to the apostles. Fol. 57-77 contain prayers on the Passion of Christ, followed by a cycle addressed to the Virgin (fol. 77-112). The final portion comprises prayers to the Guardian angel, the Evangelists, martyr saints, St Thomas, John the Baptist, the Three Magi, Sebastian, Katherine, Barbara and Helena and conclude with a prayer for the souls.

ILLUMINATION: fol. 1v: Lord in his majesty – fol. 4: All Saints – fol. 8:Vision of St Bernard – fol. 12v:Transfiguration – fol. 19:Virgin with child on the crescent moon – fol. 50: Pietà – fol. 54v: Christ with his disciples – fol. 58: Mass of St Gregory – fol. 63: Temptation of Christ – fol. 66v: Flagellation of Christ – fol. 68v: Bearing of the cross – fol. 71: Preparations for the Crucifixion – fol. 77v: Presentation of the Virgin to the temple – fol. 81: Marriage of the Virgin – fol. 101v: Annunciation – fol. 110: Nativity – fol. 122v: St Thomas – fol. 131: St Sebastian – fol. 135: St Katherine – fol. 143: St Helena – fol. 145v: Rescuing of the souls. The subjects of the missing miniatures can be partly reconstructed: Crucifixion (fol. 75), St John the Baptist (fol. 123), the Three Magi (fol. 128), St Barbara (fol. 139). Already the sales catalogue of 1884 pointed out a stylistic connection of the miniatures with two prayer books, today Augsburg, Universitätsbibliothek, Oettingen-Wallerstein cod. I. 3.8° 1 and Wolfenbüttel, Herzog August Bibliothek, cod. 87.10. Aug 12°. Moreover, a third codex whose whereabouts were erroneously given as “Nuremberg”was mentioned, which Regina Cermann recently identified as cgm 127 of the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, Munich (Cermann 2002, p. 10). Although he ignored the location of the present and the Munich codices, Ulrich Merkl was the first to draw attention to this group of manuscripts again (Merkl 1999, pp. 37-39). Classifying them among the best products of Late Gothic illumination in Germany he tentatively associated them with Wilhelm Furtmeyer of Nuremberg. While this attribution is hardly convincing, a provenance from Franconia can be ascertained by textual features, such as the dialect and the inclusion of a prayer to St Sebald, one of the patrons of Nuremberg, in the Munich codex (Petzet 1920, pp. 230-234). Iconographical details, a miniature of St Sebald in the Munich prayer book and a faithfully rendered view of Nuremberg castle in the Augsburg codex, corroborate this origin. Except for the production of the Dominican scriptorium of St Katharinen extending into the 1470s, a few manuscripts by Jacob Elsner and the works of the Glockendon family, who virtually held the monopoly during the first decades of the 16th century, little is known about illumination in Nuremberg around 1500 (Raspe 1905; Fischer 1928; Merkl 1999). Nothing comparable in style to the manuscript at issue and the three related prayer books is known so far. The miniatures are characterized by a dynamic execution. Colours applied in various shades lend an almost impressionist aspect to the depiction of landscape, as in the Temptation scene where the rocks seem to vibrate with the play of light. Closest analogies with our miniatures can be perceived in the Augsburg codex, which contains several almost identical compositions. Some of them depend on engravings, especially by Martin Schongauer, while the Temptation is based on the famous composition by the Master Lcz (Lehrs 2). Moreover, woodcuts and panel paintings from the circle of Wilhelm Pleydenwurff and Michael Wolgemut, in whose workshop Albrecht Dürer was trained, offer parallels. Stylistically, the paintings of the Master Lcz, active in Bamberg, with their intense palette and prominent use of dark shades for the modelling of faces and draperies should be considered.

LITERATURE: Sales cat. Firmin-Didot 1884, lot 22; sales cat. Dörling, Hamburg, 5/6 Dec. 1972, lot 1502; Merkl 1999, p. 37.The codex together with its companion pieces will be the focus of the PhD thesis of Katharina Georgi. Raspe 1905; Petzet 1920, pp. 230-234; Fischer 1928; Heinemann 1903/Reprint 1966, pp. 177-178; Frankenberger/ Rupp 1987, pp. 78-79; Schneider 1988, pp. 106-107; Cermann 2002, pp. 6-11 and 2006 (forthcoming).