Beschreibung:

Bible, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum [north east Italy (probably Padua or Venice), c.1250-75] 332 leaves, 235mm. by 154mm., wanting a single leaf before fol.143 (the opening of the Psalter) and perhaps another leaf from the fourteenth quire, else complete, collation: i-ix12, x-xii14, xiii8, xiv7, xv8, xvi10, xvii-xxviii12, xxix8, xxx9 (last blank and cancelled), double column, 59 lines in brown ink in a small gothic bookhand, rubrics in red, chapter numbers and running titles in red and blue, tall and thin 2-line initials in same with contrasting penwork, one text panel with white letters on pale pink ground, seventy floral initials (mostly 10-line) formed of fleshy coloured acanthus-leaves with white penwork picking out bands and circles on their bodies, some on vivid black grounds, seven initials with portly dragons (those on fols.1r and 3r three-quarter or full page in height, the latter with a large decorated panel of coloured foliage on burnished gold ground; two other similar borders as well), three initials with human headed drollery-creatures with grumpy bearded faces, one initial with a bird holding a worm in its beak, three small initials in burnished gold on coloured grounds, sixteenth-century additions of index and tables of pericopes on fols.324r-32v, upper corners of fols.119-284 repaired, blank borders of fols.230-31 cut away and restored with modern vellum, first and last few leaves discoloured, else good and presentable condition, early binding structures and in early wooden boards, bosses and clasps, spine covered with more modern leather, fitted cloth-covered case