THE LEAVES FROM A LECTIONARY IN LATIN, WITH TEXTS FROM JOHN AND EXODUS on one leaf and LUKE, LEVITICUS AND DANIEL on the other.

TWO MEDIEVAL VELLUM MANUSCRIPT BIFOLIA RECOVERED FROM BINDINGS, OFFERED INDIVIDUALLY.

(Germany: Late 11th or early 12th century.). Larger bifolium measures 221 x 275 mm. (8 7/8 x 10 3/4").; smaller bifolium measures 207 x 275 mm. (8 1/8 x 10 3/4"). Single column, 25-27 lines, in a late Caroline hand.

Rubrics in orange, each bifolium with one or more one-line initial in orange, and one or more large (four- to five-line) initials in orange. With marginal notations in a later hand. Recovered from a binding, and thus with some soiling, abrasions, glue residue, and other small problems as well as limited loss of legibility in a few places; the pages nearly complete, but with a couple of letters and/or lines cut away from one side of each bifolium; even with the problems, very good specimens overall, the letters on the better side quite clear and readable in each case.

Once part of a Lectionary (a collection of scriptural readings appropriate for Masses and other ceremonial occasions through the year), these attractive, mostly legible binding fragments display an excellent transitional script with both Caroline minuscule and proto-gothic characteristics. The present examples include short lessons or "lectiones" taken from the Old and New Testaments, including, among other passages, excerpts from John, in which Christ casts the sellers out of the temple, and Daniel, relating the prayers of the three men who refused to bow to Nebuchadnezzar's golden idol. The lovely script here shares much in common with the pure Caroline miniscule of earlier centuries--particularly in the overall legibility of the text, the space between individual letters, and the limited use of ligatures and abbreviations; also of note is the exclusive use of the long "s" (unless at the beginning of a sentence), and the ampersand as a general abbreviation for the letters "et" occurring anywhere in a word (e.g., "propheta," written "proph&a" here). Evidence of a progression toward proto-gothic script can be observed here in the appearance of certain letter forms, such as the closed "g," a more oval "o," and the use of two forms of "d" (both upright and Uncial, the latter with a sloping shaft). There is added interest here in the form of marginal notations in a later hand--probably dating from the time these bifolia were in situ as binding waste. (The price given here is for one bifolium.). (ST20509c-d)

Price: $2,500.00