|
Description
|
Psalter and Canticles, with an alphabet, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum [westcentral Germany (probably Trier), c.1200] 137 leaves, 175mm. by 125mm., wanting a single folio from first gathering (containing the December leaf from the Calendar and perhaps a frontispiece), else complete, collation: i6, ii-xv8, xvi7 (last cancelled in early fifteenth century, and the following leaves late medieval replacements), xvii8, xviii4, main text ruled for 20 lines of an elegant early gothic bookhand in black and brown ink, rubrics in red, one-line initials in red or blue, 2-line initials in same with elaborate scrolling penwork to contrast, nine large initials in burnished gold angular geometric designs (fols.23v, 34r, 43v, 44r, 54v, 67r, 77r, 79v, 90r), on blue, green, red and pink grounds within coloured frames, with extensions in the margin (those on fols.23v, 44r, 79v and 90r with green church spires atop their border panels), half-page initial 'B' (80mm. high) in red and blue interweaving bands terminating in stylised acanthus-leaves, on gold ground within a soft green frame, with two lines of ornamental capitals in red and blue, slight smudges and some minor discolouration throughout, else in fine and presentable condition, sixteenth-century tooled brown leather over wooden boards, two brass clasps
|
|
Lot Note
|
text This a fine example of an illuminated Romanesque book. The text comprises the Psalms 1-150 (fols.7r-114r) with the canticles, "Confitebor tibi ..." (fol.114r), "Exultavit cor meum ..." (fol.115r), "Cantemus domino gloriose ..." (fol.115v), "Domine audiui auditionem ..." (fol.116v), "Audite celi que ..." (fol.117v), "Benedicite omnia ..." (fol.120r), "Te exaltatus in ..." (fol.120v), "Benedictus dominus deus ..." (fol.121v), followed by an alphabet (fol.122r; see above), the canticles "Magnificat anima mea ..." (fol.122v), "Nunc dimitis ..." and "Quicumque uult salus ..." (both fol.123r) and a Litany (fol.124v), followed by the gatherings added in the fifteenth century (see above).
|