Rabbi ben Ezra - photo 1
Rabbi ben Ezra - photo 2
Rabbi ben Ezra - photo 3
Rabbi ben Ezra - photo 4

Rabbi ben Ezra

Lot 57
06.10.2022 12:00UTC -05:00
Classic
Sold
$ 22 680
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 813709
Lot 57 | Rabbi ben Ezra
Estimate value
$ 15 000 – 25 000
Rabbi ben Ezra

Sangorski & Sutcliffe illuminated manuscript

SANGORSKI, Alberto (1862-1932) and SUTCLIFFE, George (1878-1943), calligraphers, illuminators, and binders. BROWNING, Robert (1812-1899). "Rabbi Ben Ezra." [London, for the Grolier Society, c.1905-1912].



“Grow old along with me

The best is yet to be…”



Illuminated manuscript specially commissioned for the Grolier Society in a handsome Sangorski & Sutcliffe jeweled binding. With a very fine and delicately painted portrait of Rabbi Ben Ezra. The text of the poem is followed by an essay on Rabbi Ben Ezra by Furniwall and Kirkman, originally published in the papers of the Browning Society. The calligraphed certification leaf at the end has an illuminated headpiece with “GS” monogram and reads: "The poem of Rabbi Ben Ezra executed by the Grolier Society London, London" (recto) and "This copy of Rabbi Ben Ezra by Robert Browning, was especially written out, illuminated, and bound by hand and will not be duplicated. The Grolier Society London. Secretary C. Seaman Howell (signed)" (verso).



Quarto (242 x 177mm). Illuminated manuscript on vellum, 22 leaves, plus 6 blank vellum leaves. Pictorial title with a large portrait of Rabbi Ben Ezra, signed in monogram by Alberto Sangorski, surrounded by a fine patterned border in colors and tooled gold, the title in gold on a pink ground, large initial with foliate extensions; text on pp. [3]-41 with large opening illuminated initial in colors against a burnished gold ground with full-border extensions similarly decorated; 6 pages with three-quarter or full borders incorporating decorated initials against burnished or tooled gold grounds, other illuminated and penwork initials in the poems.



Full crushed caramel-brown pictorial morocco and jeweled binding by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, cream morocco doublures, silk flyleaves, all edges gilt. The covers richly inlaid with varicolored morocco, central panels of peacock feather design surrounded by a border of dark blue morocco strapwork and a floral design, corners with a quartrefoils design, each corner SET WITH AN OPAL; the lower cover identical to the upper except the cornerpieces with inlaid lighter blue morocco rather than opals. Spine gilt in six compartments with raised bands, gilt-lettered in two, a repeated gilt-decorated peacock feather gilt and inlaid design in the remaining; board edges with gilt rule; turn-ins with floral gilt and inlaid border, inlaid green morocco strap (tiny corner loss to one of the spine inlays). Doublures of white morocco with gilt rules and a dotted-gilt rule, red dot inlays and green leaf cornerpieces; flyleaves of white moiré silk. Stamp-signed by Sangorski & Sutcliffe on the upper turn-in. Full morocco folding case lined with padded silk and velvet, metal clasp (back of case scuffed).

Provenance: Phoebe A.D. Boyle (her sale, Anderson New York, 19-20 November 1923, lot 55 ("one inlay missing"—this has since been invisibly repaired), [sold to: Charles Sessler] – Charles Rosenbloom (Sotheby's New York, 14 June 1993, lot 79) – Christie’s 22 June 2010, lot 156.

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