Beschreibung:

Collection of leaves from medieval manuscripts on parchment [thirteenth to fifteenth century] Ten pieces, comprising: (a) leaf from a fine copy of the Vitae Sanctorum (with readings for St. Helen), loss of few lines at top, remains of double column, 48 lines, capitals touched in yellow, 8 small initials in red or blue with penwork, one very large initial ‘F’ (opening “Fuit et alius vir sanctus, Helenus nomine …”) in split red bands with ornate swirling blue penwork enclosing red dots and filling entire border, France, late thirteenth century or early fourteenth, 290 by 22 mm.; (b) bifolium from a Gradual, with a 4-line initial in orange enclosing blue and white acanthus leaves on a blue ground heightened with white penwork, numerous other tall and thin initials in red or blue with scrolling penwork in contrasting colours, red rubrics, double column, 26 lines in a somewhat shaky formal bookhand, part of second leaf cut away, Italy (Bologna), fourteenth century, 280 by 245mm.; plus 10 leaves (including a bifolium and another leaf attached to this) from Italian liturgical books, many with fine coloured initials and in notably high grade script, a bifolium from a thirteenth-century liturgical volume, a large fifteenth-century Choirbook leaf, a document issued by an imperial scribe dated 7 June 1428 in “civitate Austriae Aqlegien”, most probably Aelen in modern Switzerland or Aalen in southern Germany; some recovered from bindings and hence with some damage, but overall good to fine condition