Beschreibung:

The Four Gospels, in Armenian ARMENIA (HAVUTS TAR MONASTERY), DATED 1471 4to (185 x 140mm.), manuscript on paper, 293+3(blank) leaves, preceded and followed by two vellum flyleaves (see below), apparently COMPLETE in 25 quires of 12 leaves each, with one leaf cancelled in quire xii, quire signatures throughout, prickings survive in all three margins, written in 2 columns of 19 lines, headings in two colours, illustrated with four full-page Evangelist portraits (ff.2v, 87v, 138v, 226v) each facing an elaborately decorated incipit page with head-piece, historiated initial, and borders, chapters throughout with large initials often formed of birds, angels, saints, or other figures , somewhat dirty and the edges of the leaves somewhat worn and soft, but generally in good condition, Armenian binding of polished leather over wooden boards, upper cover tooled to form a stepped cross composed of small braided tools, lower cover tooled to form a rectangle, with ten metal fittings on front cover (some with lettering, "Gulamir, Horomsiny", "Etar", "Horomsimay", "Mkhitar", some later in date, several missing, and lacking all fittings on lower cover), integral foredge flap tooled with the date 1086 (i.e. 1637 CE), two long straps, front flyleaves are a fragment of a 12th-century Armenian manuscript on vellum in erkat’agir (containing part of an Armenian Lectionary), the rear flyleaves from another Armenian manuscript, plain cloth board liners (also lining the foredge flap)