Anonymous Dominican author

Los 15
10.12.2025 12:00UTC +00:00
Classic
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
VeranstaltungsortVereinigtes Königreich, London
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ID 1514418
Los 15 | Anonymous Dominican author
Schätzwert
£ 40 000 – 60 000
Anonymous Dominican author
Speculum humanae salvationis, in Latin rhymed couplets, decorated manuscript on vellum [England, mid-15th century]
A valuable aid for preachers offering a clear exposition of Christian salvation and a best-selling work of popular theology, in a contemporary binding and once in the collections of Lichfield Cathedral.

234 x 170mm. 86 leaves, complete, collation: 1-108, 116 (of 8, i a cancelled blank, viii the lower pastedown), modern foliation in pencil 1-85, quire signatures and catchwords survive, c.28-33 lines, written space: 170 x 116mm, capitals touched in yellow, penwork initials in blue, often with flourishing in red extending into the margin, and red (some natural flaws and holes in vellum, occasionally with contemporary repairs, e.g. on f.85, a few smudges, some light dampstaining to upper margin, else in good condition with wide margins). Medieval binding of doeskin over wooden boards, brass catch (scuffed, stained and rubbed, lacking clasp). In a fitted cloth sleeve and box.

Provenance:
(1) Robert Gully, vicar choral of Lichfield Cathedral, his 15th-century inscription on f.85: 'Istum librum dedit Dominus Ricardus Gully nuper vicarius choralis ecclesie Cathedralis Lychfeldiensis Capellanis cantariarum infra clausum dicte ecclesie fundatarum ad inperpetuum inter ipsos remanendum.' Gifted to the chantries of:

(2) Lichfield Cathedral. By the late 15th century Deans Thomas Heywood and John Yotton had transferred the earlier collections to a new library building on the north side of the Cathedral. This library was stripped of all its books and fittings during the Civil War. The manuscript is listed in N. Ker, Medieval libraries of Great Britain: a list of surviving books, 1964, p.44.

(3) Philip John Canning Howard (1853-1924), of Corby Castle: his sale, Sotheby's, 1 August 1934, lot 87, to Maggs.

(4) Howard Lehman Goodhart (1884-1951), stockbroker and bibliophile. By descent to his daughter:

(5) Phyllis Goodhart Gordan (1913-1994): her leather book label inside upper cover, MS 24. On deposit at Bryn Mawr, BMC 29. Published in De Ricci, Census, II, p.1681, no 24.

Content:
Alphabetical index of names and events ff.1-2v; Prohemium ff.3-7v; Speculum humanae salvationis, in 44 chapters, beginning: 'Incipit Speculum humane salvationis / In quo habetur casus hominis et modus reparacionis' and ending 'Qui cum patre et spiritu sancto est in perpetuum benedictus. Amen', ff.8-84v.

One of the classic works of popular theology of the Middle Ages, concentrating on the medieval theory of typology, where events of the Old Testament prefigured events of the New Testament. Compiled anonymously by a Dominican author (perhaps Ludolph of Saxony) between 1309-1324 (on the basis of a reference to the Pope being at Avignon, and a date on two copies), the text survives in over 400 manuscript copies. This copy is a handsome, complete, English production, once in the collections of Lichfield Cathedral.




Literature

S. De Ricci, Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada, II, 1961, p.1681, no 24.
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