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Western Manuscripts and Miniatures, Sotheby’s (34-35 New Bond Street, London W1A 2AA), Tuesday, 8 December 2009. Exhibition: 4-7 December.

This sale includes some of the oldest manuscripts and certainly one of the largest miniatures ever offered for sale. Dates range from the seventh century B.C. to the early twentieth century A.D. (although the latter, two miniatures by the Spanish Forger, are painted on fifteenth-century fragments). Most surviving pieces of writing from the ancient world are scraps of administrative records. However, this sale includes a number of papyri fragments of major literary texts. These are items of rarity beyond comprehension, including Herodotus, the oldest Greek historian (lot 37); the earliest witness to the Margites, a lost classical text (lot 35); and a piece of an unknown classical Greek play on the history of wine attributed to Aristophanes (lot 38). From the Middle Ages come a remarkable series of charters, including some which have passed by direct descent since the twelfth century (lots 19 and 20). Textually, the Psalter translation of Richard Rolle is extraordinarily precious (lot 48), both as a translation of part of the Bible into the English language a generation before Wycliffe, and as an example of Middle English from a period when little survives. As libraries prepare for the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible in 2011, it is a timely reminder that the Bible in English goes back far beyond the Protestant Reformation. Above all, and exceeding all others in scale, complexity and subject matter, is the great Kuttenberg (Kutná Hora) silver mining miniature, painted in Bohemia, probably in Prague, around 1490 (lot 18). It shows the entire process of the medieval silver industry there, from the mining of the ore to the minting of the silver into coins, and is as elaborate as a painting by Brueghel.

The following items are of particular interest: lot 9 - Three historiated initials on cuttings from an illuminated choirbook on vellum (Italy, probably Veneto, c. 1470); lot 10 - Christ blessing, historiated initial cut from illuminated manuscript on vellum (Italy, probably Bologna, c. 1320); lot 11 - The Tomb of St. Dominic (d. 1221), large historiated initial on a cutting from an illuminated manuscript choirbook, on vellum (northern Italy, Bologna, c. 1320, probably immediately after 1323); lot 12 - The Apostles preaching, large historiated initial on a cutting from an illuminated manuscript choirbook, on vellum (northern Italy, Bologna, c. 1320, probably immediately after 1323); lot 13 - The martyrdom of St. Agatha, large historiated initial on a cutting from an illuminated manuscript choirbook, on vellum (northern Italy, Bologna, c. 1320, probably immediately after 1323); lot 16 - Miniature on a cutting, enclosing  the Virgin seated and reading from an open book, the Christ child on her lap lifting up one hand to support a sceptre, perhaps from a historiated initial, illuminated manuscript on vellum (Italy, perhaps Venice, sixteenth century); and lot 47 - St. Jerome, Epistolae, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum (central Italy, probably Rome, third quarter of the fifteenth century).

For further details view the browse catalogue.

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Western Manuscripts and Miniatures and the Korner sale, Sotheby’s (34-35 New Bond Street, London W1A 2AA), Tuesday, 7 July 2009. Exhibition: 3-6 July.

The Western Manuscripts and Miniatures sale of 7 July 2009, includes two separate sales: the Various Owner sale, lots 1-53, which will commence at 10.30am, immediately followed by the sale of Medieval Illuminated Miniatures and the Korner Hours from the collection of the late Eric Korner, lots 101-118.

The following entries, from the catalogue Medieval Illuminated Miniatures and The Korner Hours from the Collection of the Late Eric Korner (lots 101-118), are of particular interest: lot 103 - The Calling of Saint Peter, and Christ giving Saint Peter the Keys of Heaven, illuminated miniature from a manuscript choirbook on vellum [northern Italy (Imola or Bologna), c. 1270-80] a cutting, 253 mm. by 206 mm., with a very large initial ‘S’ (”Symon …”), 172 mm. by 135 mm; lot 104 - Christ in Majesty, extremely large illuminated miniature from a manuscript Antiphoner on vellum [Tuscany (probably Siena), late thirteenth century], a cutting, 351 mm. by 261 mm., with an extremely large initial ‘A’ (”Aspiciens a longe …”, first response for the first Sunday in Advent), 277 mm. by 244 mm.; lot 108 - King David Playing the Psaltery, Saint Francis receiving the Stigmata, illuminated miniatures on the Beatus leaf of a choir Psalter of Franciscan use, manuscript on vellum [northern Italy (probably Bologna), c. 1425-35], a single leaf, 563 mm. by 420 mm., with a very large initial ‘B’ (”Beatus vir qui non abiit …”, Psalm 1), 165 mm. by 153 mm.; lot 109 - The Finding of the Holy Cross, illuminated miniature from a manuscript Gradual on vellum [Veneto (island of Murano), c. 1420-40], a cutting, 145 mm. by 104 mm., the central portion of a historiated initial ‘N’ (probably the introit “Nos autem gloriari oportet” for the Mass for the Finding of the Cross, 3 May); lot 110 - A female saint, illuminated miniature from a manuscript Gradual on vellum [Veneto (island of Murano), c. 1420-40], a cutting, 157 mm. by 92 mm., the central portion of an initial, probably ‘O’, possibly ‘D’ (possibly the introit “Dilexisti justiciam” for a virgin not a martyr); lot 111 - The Coronation of the Virgin, illuminated miniature from a manuscript choirbook on vellum[Lombardy (Milan), mid-fifteenth century], a cutting, 150 mm. by 117 mm., the centre cut from an initial of oval shape (possibly “O prima virgo”, first hymn at the Assumption of the Virgin, 15 August); lot 113 - Saint John the Evangelist, illuminated miniature from a manuscript choirbook on vellum [Lombardy (Milan), early sixteenth century], a cutting, 165 mm. by 165 mm., a very large initial ‘E’ (perhaps from the gradual “Exiit sermo” on the feast of Saint John the Evangelist, 27 December); and lot 114 - Saint Agnes, illuminated miniature from a manuscript choirbook on vellum [Lombardy (Milan), early sixteenth century] a cutting, 165 mm. by 159 mm., a very large initial ‘D’ (perhaps from the gradual “Diffusa est” on the feast of Saint Agnes, 21 January).

For further details view the browse catalogue

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Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts, Christie’s, London (South Kensington), 1 June 2009.

The following entries are of particular interest: N. 3 - A LEAF FROM A HOMILIARY with incipits for the Gospel lections and homiliaries for Thursday and Friday, in Latin, decorated manuscript on vellum (Tuscany, possibly Pisa, third quarter 12th century); a binding fragment, with large painted inhabited initials ‘M’ and ‘P’, the infills with red-breasted pairs of birds, text in two columns, rubrics in red, with later decorative penwork additions (worn, text faded); the decorative features of the initials, with their geometric patterning, are similar to those found in BnF Latin 2219, see F.Avril and Y. Zaluska, Manuscrits enlumineés d’origine italienne (1980), no. 86. N. 4 - CHRIST EXPELLING A DEMON from a blind and dumb man, historiated initial ‘C’ cut from St Augustine of Hippo (354-430), Sermons, illuminated manuscript on vellum (central Italy, second half 12th century). N. 6 - BENEDICTINE AUTHOR, historiated initial ‘I’, on the opening leaf of a collection of Lenten and Eastertide Sermons, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum (northern Italy c.1380). N. 7 - PALAEOGRAPHIC COLLECTION OF BINDING FRAGMENTS, in Latin, decorated and illuminated manuscripts on vellum (Italy and France, 13th and 14th centuries); 26 part-leaves or bifolia from 7 manuscripts, all with decorated flourished initials: including 2 part-bifolia from an illuminated and glossed Gratian Decretum, one with two coats of arms charged with black bears likely those of the Caccianemico dell’Orso of Bologna and the Orso of Venice (Bologna or Padua, early 14th century); 7-part bifolia from a glossed Justinian Codex (Italy, 13th century); 7 part-bifolia from glossed ?Justinian Corpus Juris Civilis’, (Italy, 14th century); and 1 part-bifolium from a glossed Justinian Institutes, book 1 (Italy, 14th century). N. 8 - DAVID PRAYING, cutting from the infill of an historiated initial from a Psalter, illuminated manuscript on vellum; (Lombardy, c.1450-60); the figure of David, before the stave of an initial (laid down on card, slightly worn with small losses of pigment or gold); an appealing example of Lombard illumination; close in style to a David initial in the Brooklyn Museum (n. 38.743) discussed by Anna Melograni (see Miniature inedite de Quattrocento lombardo nelle collezioni americane, no.82, 1994, p.290-2); both must have come from a Psalter of large dimensions and show the influence of the Maestro delle Vitae Imperatorum. N. 12 - VENICE. Document of Giovanni Mocenigo as Doge of Venice (1409-1485, Doge from 1478), Dogal Palace, Venice, 25 January 1480, a passport for his ‘ductor’ (waggoner), Gaspar of Perugia, who is going to Perugia ‘pro nonnullis eius negotiis’, asking that he be given free passage with ten horses, his arms, and all his baggage, in Italian on vellum, 14 lines on one membrane, Giovanni’s dogal seal in lead.

For further details view Christie’s on-line catalogue.

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Valuable Printed Books & Manuscripts Including Fine Plate Books from an Historic Continental Library, Christie’s, London (KIng Street), Wednesday 3 June 2009.

The following entries are of particular interest: N. 1 - KING DAVID PLAYING THE PSALTERY, historiated initial ‘E’ on a leaf from a Choir Pslater, in Latin; illuminated manuscript on vellum (Lombardy, c. 1460): An imposing and colourful initial, a fine example of the early style of Jacopo da Balsemo (c. 1425-1503), who with his workshop dominated manuscript illumination in Bergamo in the later half of the Quattrocento. N. 7 - BOOK OF HOURS, use of Rome, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum; the Marches, probably Camerino (?second quarter 15th century): The miniatures reflect the grace and delicacy of figures in the paintings by Arcangelo di Cola, who was recorded as active in Camerino from 1416-1429. N. 9 - BIBLE, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum (Bologna, c. 1310-1315): Signed by the scribe ‘Cabrinus’ of Cremona on f. 495 at the end of the New Testament and again on f. 534; the style of the illumination suggests that the book was decorated in Bologna and it can be compared with the body of work associated with followers and collegues of the illuminator identified as Jacopino da Reggio; the three depictions of Carmelites (ff. 10, 13 and 241v) indicate that it could have been made for San Martino, the Carmelite house in Bologna. N. 17 - CICERO, Marcus Tullius, Epistolae ad Familiares, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum (Florence, 1460-70): Sixteen large white-vine initials one with a two-sided border with putti and a bird and moth; the arms of the orginal owner are erased, but by the second half of the 16th century the manuscript may have been in Sicily; the style is characteristic of the style of Francesco d’Antonio del Chierico of around 1460. Nn. 19-26 - EIGHT CHOIRBOOKS FOR THE DOMINICANS AT THE SANTUARIO DELLA MADONNA DELL’ARCO, NAPLES, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum (Naples, 1601- 1611): Written by Brother ‘Ioannes Ballus’ of Naples and Brother ‘Hieronymus Nolanus’ (of Nola); two of the illuminated pages in one of the Graduals (lot 24) are signed by the illuminator Giovanni Battista Rosa.

For further information view Christie’s on-line catalogue.

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