TEXT FROM JANUARY TO DECEMBER.

(Germany: late 15th century). 172 x 125 mm. (6 3/4 x 5"). [6] leaves. Single column, 32 lines in an angular gothic book hand.

Unbound, but the quire still intact and with the remnants of stitching. Rubrics in red, "KL" in red or blue and "A" initials in blue. ◆A few of the decorative flourishes slightly trimmed at top margin, a hint of soiling and a little spotting in a few places, but these issues very minor, and as a whole the Calendar in really excellent condition.

This is an excellent example of a complete calendar that would have appeared at the beginning of a Book of Hours or, given the limited decoration, possibly a liturgical book such as a Breviary (a condensed work containing the prayers, readings, and hymns of the Divine Office). The saints' days here are fairly typical and widely observed, though the rubrication of Sts. Vitus, Modestus, and Crescentia on June 15 is unusual; St. Vitus and his companions were especially venerated in Westphalia and eastern and northern Germany, and its inclusion in red, indicating that it is an especially important day, supports the conclusion that the parent manuscript was intended for (and probably created in) one of those regions. While single calendar leaves regularly come up on the market, complete calendars such as this are much more difficult to acquire.
(ST18406-3)

Price: $1,600.00