A potentially unique monastic compilation
10.12.2025 12:00UTC +00:00
Classic
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CHRISTIE'S| Auctioneer | CHRISTIE'S |
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| Место проведения | Великобритания, London |
| Комиссия | see on Website% |
ID 1514552
Лот 16 | A potentially unique monastic compilation
Оценочная стоимость
7000GBP £ 7 000 – 10 000
Alphabetical concordance of the Bible, and biblical readings for Masses and the Office of the Dead, in Latin, manuscript on paper [Germany, Cologne, mid 15th century]
A potentially unique compilation, with an important monastic provenance from the Charterhouse of St Barbara, Cologne, in its medieval binding.
c. 213 x 145mm, i (vellum) + 180 + i (vellum) leaves, complete, collation: 1–1512, modern foliation 1-180 in pencil, a few leaf signatures remain, c. 33–36 lines per page written in gothic hybrida script, ruled space: c. 165 x 95; capitals stroked in red, paraphs in red, keywords and biblical citations underlined in red, running headings in red, the fore-edges of some leaves with green vestiges of place-marker tabs (narrow vellum strengtheners at the middle of each gathering, the upper part of the front vellum flyleaf excised, overall in excellent condition). Medieval binding, sewn on four bands laced into wood boards covered with undecorated polished mid-brown leather, two metal clasps and catch-plates at the fore-edge, the head of the spine with a black leather title piece lettered in gilt capitals ‘Tabula / Evangeliorum / Phillipps MS. 650’, below this an old paper label inscribed ‘OO’, and another inscribed ‘[A]utoritates notab-/iles totius Biblie / secundum ordinem / alphabeti’ (scuffing and some cracking to spine, the straps missing).
Provenance:
(1) Written for use at the Charterhouse of St Barbara, Cologne (see f.173). Strips of manuscript waste at the front and rear joints include a passage beginning ‘Frater Rolandus [(i.e. Roland von Luysteringen, d. 1417) prior] conventus domus sancte Barbare in Colonia ordinis [...]’, dated 4 January 1408: ‘[ann]o domini M. CCCC viij. Ipso die octavas Innocentium’. In the 17th century this was their OO [i.e. quarto-size; cf. spine label] no 98; the house was dissolved in 1794 after which this manuscript was acquired with many others by:
(2) Heberle & Lempertz, Cologne; who sold it and others in 1821 to:
(3) Leander van Ess (1772–1847), of Darmstadt and Marburg (on whom, and on whose library, see Milton McC. Gatch, ‘So Precious a Foundation’: The Library of Leander van Ess at the Burke Library of Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, 1996), no 266; his collection sold en bloc in 1824 to:
(4) Sir Thomas Phillipps (1792-1872), antiquary and book collector: his MS 650, inscribed in ink on first vellum flyleaf. Published in Catalogus librorum manuscriptorum in bibliotheca D. Thomæ Phillipps, Bart., 1837, p.8, no 650. His sale, Bibliotheca Phillippica. Catalogue of a further portion of the classical, historical, topographical, genealogical and other manuscripts and autograph letters of the late Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart. F. R. S. etc. of Middle Hill, Worcestershire, and Thirlestaine House, 6 June 1910, lot 160, bought by J. & J. Leighton for £1 8s.
(5) William B. Gourley (1856–1935), Irish-born American lawyer, of Paterson, NJ; his sale at the American Art Association, New York, 4 November 1936, lot 540, bought by:
(6) Howard Lehman Goodhart (1884-1951), stockbroker and bibliophile: his leather book label inside upper cover. By descent to his daughter:
(7) Phyllis Goodhart Gordan (1913-1994): her leather book label inside upper cover, MS 36. On deposit at Bryn Mawr, BMC 33. Published in De Ricci, Census, II, p.1684, no 36.
Content:
Concordance from ‘Abba pater. omnia possibilia sunt tibi. Marci 14 d’ (i.e. Mark 14:36), to ‘Quomodo amplificemus Zorobabel? [...]’, with keywords from ‘Abbas’ and ‘Zorobabel’ in the margins, ff.1–169; some additional omitted entries, from Aaron to Phiton: ‘Hic sequitur aliqua supplementa in suis locis superius dimissa. Aaron sacerdos ascendit in montem [...]’, ff.170–171v; blank, f.172r–v; ‘Incipit tabula Evangeliorum et Epistolarum de tempore et de sanctis officii misse secundum ordinem Carthusiensem precipue Domus Sancte Barbare. Dominica prima adventus domini [...]’, ff.173–177v; Masses for saints from Thomas Becket to Thomas the Apostle (29 Dec. – 21 Dec.), with the feast of relics between All Saints (1 Nov.) and St Martin (11 Nov.): ‘Sequitur officia missarum de sanctis. De sancto Thoma martyre Cantuariensi [...]’, ff.177v–179v; ‘Sequitur epistole et evangelia de officio defunctorum. [...]’, f.179v; blank, f.180; a diagram showing how the biblical books can be divided into four kinds: The Law, Historical, Sapiential, and Prophetic, with lists of the books of each kind, followed by notes on Cassiodorus and Bede, f.180v.
We have not been able to identify any other copy of the main text: it may have been written by its compiler for his own use, rather than ‘published’ in multiple copies. Indeed, the juxtaposition of a biblical concordance (covering both the Old and the New Testament) with texts relating to the cycles of masses in the church year, and the New Testament readings for the Office of the dead, also suggests that the book was intended as a personal vade mecum.
Literature
Leander van Ess, Sammlung und Verzeichniss handschriftlicher Bücher aus dem VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XIII. XIV. etc. Jahrhundert. [...] welche besitzt Leander van Ess, Theol. Doctor, vorhin Professor und Pfarrer in Marburg (privately printed, 1823), no 266.
Thomas Phillipps, Catalogus Librorum Manuscriptorum in Bibliotheca D. Thomæ Phillipps, Bart., A.D. 1837 (Privately printed, 1837; reprinted with an Introduction by A.N.L. Munby London, 2001), p.8, no 650.
S. De Ricci, Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada, II, 1961, p.1684, no 36.
| Место происхождения: | Западная Европа, Германия, Европа |
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| Категория аукционного дома: | Манускрипты Средневековья и Ренессанса, Книги и рукописи |
| Место происхождения: | Западная Европа, Германия, Европа |
|---|---|
| Категория аукционного дома: | Манускрипты Средневековья и Ренессанса, Книги и рукописи |
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