Leaf from a Homiliary, in Latin, decorated manuscript on vellum [Italy, middle or second half 12th century].

A leaf from a Carolingian Homiliary
Leaf from a Homiliary, in Latin, decorated manuscript on vellum [Italy, middle or second half 12th century].
High quality pen-drawn decoration.

c.405 × 305mm. 2 columns of 50 lines, in Caroline minuscule with incipit words in rustic capitals and a rubric in uncials, the text for the Saturday before the third Sunday after the octave of Easter, comprising the end of Gregory the Great’s Homiliae in Evangelia 2.25, followed by the rubric and the beginning of Bede’s Homilia 2.3 (‘Venit Maria Magdalene […] sęcula sęculorum. Amen. Feria VI. Lectio secundum Matthaeum. In illo tempore […] [Matthew 28:16] Evanglica lectio fratres karissimi quam modo audivimus […] Utraque autem interpretatio’), decorated with a large pen-drawn initial ‘E’ with reserved designs and foliate tendrils (recovered from use as a pastedown and adjacent flyleaf in a tanned leather binding, with consequent damage, the upper and lower margins cropped, wormholes in the margins, stains affecting about one third of the text, not affecting the decoration).

Provenance:
(1) James Stevens-Cox (1910-1997), with his pencil number '14694'.
(2) Colker MS 491; acquired in 2000 from Maggs.

This lot is offered without reserve.
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