Beschreibung:

illuminated manuscript on vellum. (174 x 124mm). 355 leaves. complete, mostly in gatherings of 10 or 12; (+ ii vellum flyleaves).Two columns of 53 lines written in dark brown ink in a miniature gothic bookhand between two verticals, ruled in blind, justification: 120 x 80mm. 84 ten-line intials of burnished gold decorated on the infills with floriate designs, some animals and grotesques, about half have bar-gold extensions often incorporating grotesques at the terminals, further decorated with arabesque extensions. 58 prolonged, seven-line, parti-colored initials in red and blue with violet and green highlights, numerous initials with very fine red or red and blue filigree infilling and flourishing extending into the margins. The first chapter to Genesis has an exquisite initial ‘I’ converted to a ‘T’ border by charming extensions issuing from the mouths of two animal heads in the initial. Early 19th-century pink velvet, housed in a modern red morocco box, decoratively tooled and lettered in gilt, second compartment labelled ‘Biblia Sacra’. Condition: some margins partially cropped, four slits sewn with pink thread, some darkening or occasional soiling to vellum; joints cracked, lower cover loose, some soiling to edges. a beautifully detailed bible produced in the 13th century in northern france. The decoration, employing a standard set of iconographical motifs is typical of Parisian workshops and is exceptionally skillful. Text includes; Prologue (ff.1-2); Bible (ff.3-353) and Index of Hebrew names (ff.354-55).