Manuscript on parchment (very stiff) of a Book of Hours; With Calendar in French
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written in liturgical gothic verging on batarde, by one scribe., Crude miniatures by two artists whose compositions, figure types, and painterly technique reflect faintly the work of Jean Colombe, active in Bourges in the late fifteenth century. The miniatures by the first artist (all except ff. 74r and 138r) are in arched frames, in purple or crimson ink, occasionally with black cusping on the arch, tangential or close to upper bounding line, set within a 3/4 strip, either beige with alternating blue and pink flowers and black flecks, edged in black, or gold with blue and red trilobe leaves., Traced full or 3/4 borders, one (f. 25r) compartmentalized in gold and blue, with an angel bearing the arms of the Coquille family (azure, 3 escallops or [Coquille], impaled with ermine [Garnier]), red bounding line, filled with blue and green acanthus, flowers, strawberries, grotesques, gold balls, and pen flecks. Initials accompanying miniatures, 4- and 3-line, pink and blue with white highlights on gold, filled with a flower on a beige ground. The miniatures by the second artist (ff. 74r and 138r), probably an assistant to the first, are in thick crimson frames, with 3/4 borders as above, except with finer and stiffer acanthus, each with an initial, 4- or 3-line, gold on blue and crimson with white highlights. Calendar with zodiac signs and occupations of the months set within 3/4 borders, as above. 2-line initials, KL monograms, as above; name of month, dates, major feasts in gold, other feasts alternately in blue and red. Rubrics in crimson or in blue., and Binding: Nineteenth century. Tan calf case, heavily gold-tooled spine and doublures. Bound by C. Lewis (leading figure in English binding 1800-40). Dark red-brown cover (16th-17th centuries) inset on sides.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Books of hours, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
In Latin and French., Script: Written by a single scribe in Gothica Cursiva Formata (Bastarda) in two sizes. The ascenders on the top line often have calligraphic extensions., Red headings. Heightening of the majuscules in yellow. All initials (1- or 2-lines) are on a rectangular background and are executed in paint and liquid gold. At the opening of the various Hours there are 4-line initials of the same type, always accompanied by full acanthus borders and an arch-topped miniature. The borders are framed in gold and may also contain leaves, flowers, fruit, birds., and Binding: Modern limp vellum with two pairs of white leather ties. The preceding 19th-century binding is preserved: dark brown leather over cardboard, both covers framed with blind-tooled fillets; spine with four raised bands and gold-tooled title: "HEURES DE SENLIS"; gilt edges.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Books of hours, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
In Latin., Written in round gothic script, by one scribe., Twelve full-page miniatures on the verso of tipped-in leaves (blank on recto), rather routine and careless. Each miniature facing a 6-line initial, black, with white highlights, on a gold ground, filled with blue and black trilobe leaves. Ten historiated initials, in the same style as the illuminated ones, illustrating the suffrages. Each initial with a border, as above. 2-line initials, gold on red and blue grounds with white highlights; some (on rectos) with black ink hair-spray with blue and gold flowers. 1-line initials, blue, with red penwork or gold, with black penwork. Rubrication for headings and to mark antiphons, verses etc.; also for dates and major feasts in calendar., and Binding: Sixteenth century. The backs of the quires are cut in on either side of the sewing supports and at the kettle stitches. Original sewing on five supports attached to wooden boards. Edges gilt and gauffered. Covered in dark brown calf with a panel stamp of two sets of horizontal inhabited vines within text borders, divided by a line of fleurs-de-lis and flowers in diamonds. The four panels are enclosed by the inscription: "Ora pro nobis sancta dei genitrix ut digni efficiamur promissione Christi". Spine lining, endbands and silver (?) clasps and catches added when the book was rebacked. One joint cracked.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Books of hours, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment (trimmed) of a Book of Hours, with Calendar and prayers in Flemish
Description:
In Latin and Flemish., Script: Written in liturgical gothic bookhand by one scribe., Three full-page miniatures of mediocre quality. Each miniature set in a narrow frame of gold, black, pink, and white; full border of blue and gold acanthus leaves, red, pink, and blue flowers and strawberries, and black pen flecks. One 7-line historiated initial on f. 216r (Flemish Prayers): Pieta, pink with white highlights on gold; full border as above; text separated from border by a narrow band attached to initial of gold and pink, edged in black. Illuminated 5-line initials with full borders (eg. ff. 13r, 18r, 28r), pink or blue with white highlights on gold, filled with blue or pink trilobe leaves. 2-line initials, gold on pink and blue with white highlights, one on f. 92r (Advent Office) with a band attached, as above, and small sections of border, as above; one 3-line initial on f. 179r (Obsecro te) in similar manner. 1-line initials, blue with red penwork and gold with black penwork; initials within text washed in yellow. KL monograms as 2-line initials; Latin names of months and important feasts in red. Line fillers: oblique lines with dots attached, stylized plant motifs, dots, etc., in blue or gold. Rubrics in faded red., and Binding: Nineteenth century. Brown, originally black, sheepskin; stamped in gold on the spine: "Psaterium." Red edges.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Books of hours, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment of a Book of Hours with prayers in Dutch. The manuscript is misbound
Description:
In Dutch and Latin., Script: Written in liturgical gothic bookhand by a single scribe. 3-, 2-, and 1-line initials with very fine penwork: gold with dark blue penwork or blue with red penwork. 1-line initials within the text black with one or two red strokes. Line fillers: blue cables. Rubrics in orange-tinted red., Water damage on ff. 8v, 38v and 39v has obliterated some initials; the text is still legible., and Binding: Date? Bookblock tacked to a vellum folder. The light rectangular patch on the front cover, lower left, was probably left by the removal of a shelf tag.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Books of hours, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on paper (watermarks obscured by binding and trimming) of prayers and hymns to the Virgin Mary
Description:
In Italian and Latin., Script: Written by one scribe in round gothic bookhand., Four poorly executed initials in gold and colors on ff. 1r, 2r (two), and 4r; the last accompanied by green and gold dots. Red initial strokes; rubrics throughout., and Binding: single quire tacketed to a piece of folded vellum.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Mary, Blessed Virgin, Saint and Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Devotion to., Hymns, Italian, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, and Manuscripts, Medieval
Manuscript on parchment (sturdy) of Calendar; Psalter; Six canticles; and Litany
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written by a single scribe in bold, early gothic bookhand. Notes by several later scribes, some of which have been erased., Full page initial B (f. 2v) in blue with pink and blue interior vine-stem patterns, on gold ground surrounded by red rectangular frame outlined in black. Smaller gold initials, 10- to 8-line, for Psalms 26, 38, 51, 52, 80, 97, 101, 109 (ff. 21r, 33v, 43r, 43v, 53v, 68r, 70r, 83r), of similar design, on blue ground with vine-stem patterns of olive green, white, and red, and rectangular frame of red and white. Other psalms introduced by gold initials, 9- to 3-line, outlined in red, infilled and surrounded by blue penwork designs; headings and first letter of each verse in red. Most decorative initials are severely rubbed., Trimming of outer margins on ff. 8 and 122 affects text., and Binding: 16th-17th centuries. Resewn with three strands of thread on four round, twisted, vegetable fiber cords laid in forked grooves and laced in and out of flush oak boards. The cords are pegged twice: from outside to inside and vice versa with almost square pegs. The vegetable fiber endband cores are laced into the boards, the endbands themselves wanting. The spine is rounded, with traces of adhesive. Covered in tawed skin, once white, now tan and white. The turn-ins are sometimes turned in over small fragments of a parchment manuscript, in other cases, under, and the corners cut square. There is some inscribed parchment on the outside of the upper board, probably part of a spine lining. The discoloration on the endleaves does not match the present turn-ins. There are traces of four round bosses on each board and of a pin in the center of the upper one. The white, tawed strap, most of which is now wanting, is attached to the lower board through a metal plate. One corner of the upper board is cut away and the covering of the spine and part of the boards wanting. A messy, somewhat primitive binding.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Psalters
Manuscript on parchment of a Psalter, with astrological notes, a Calendar, and other litanies and prayers
Description:
In Latin., Written by two scribes in tiny gothic textura. Scribe 1: ff. 2v-91v; Scribe 2: ff. 91v (last folio of quire 8)-95v. Several later hands have added scribbles, prayers, and inscriptions on ff. 1r-2r, 10r, 95v, 96r, 97v, 98r, 99r., Small (6-line) and rather crude historiated initials. The initials for Ps. 52 (the Fool) and Ps. 109 (the Trinity) are missing. In each initial, the figure drawn in black and colored pink, green, and/or blue on a gold ground; the initials attached to cusped, tapering bar border, blue, red, and gold, with white highlights, with ivy terminal, black with red and green leaves. Gold and blue calligraphic initials (2-line), with blue and red penwork respectively; 1-line initials, alternating red and blue. KL monograms, gold on red and blue, with white highlights. Because the initial I was placed in the margin without an inset space in the text, the illuminator often missed it (e.g., for Ps. 70 on f. 42r; for Ps. 113 on f. 62r, and for Ps. 125 on f. 68v)., and Binding: 15th-16th centuries. Resewn on three two-layered tapes of tawed skin attached to wooden boards. The endband cores are of tawed skin with a tawed skin braid at the head, a new endband added at the tail. The spine is square and the cover adhered to it. Covered in tawed skin, originally pink, with corner tongues. Cover repaired at spine and two corners and two silver clasps added. In a flexible grey leather pouch.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Astrology, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Psalters
Manuscript on parchment (ff. 56v-57r palimpsest?) of a Psalter; with Hours of the Virgin, use unidentified
Description:
In Latin., Script: Written by a single scribe in well formed late caroline minuscule, above the top line. Marginal notes, some with neumes above them (e.g. ff. 63v, 65r), in several later hands have been partially lost due to trimming., Initials for text divisions, 11-line (f. 115r: Ps. 101) and 7-line (f. 22r: Ps. 26, f. 40r: Ps. 38, f. 93r: Ps. 80, f. 112v: Ps. 97, f. 133r: Ps. 109), gold, with symmetrical gold tendril ornament, occasionally with dragon-head terminals, against green and mauve panelled grounds covered with dense red cross-hatching set in red and mauve frames. 7- to 2-line initials for other Psalms, red or green with red and/or green flourishes. 1-line initials for verses, alternating red and green. Headings in red and/or green throughout., and Binding: Sixteenth century. Resewn on four tawed, slit straps. Wooden boards chamfered and indented. Edges gilt. The spine is square and now lined with cloth. Covered in dark brown calf, blind-stamped with portraits of saints (one of whom may be Rochus) and fleurons in concentric panels (?); very little of the earlier cover remaining. Clasp-and-catch fastening, the catch on the upper board, the brown leather straps attached through metal plates to the lower. Rebacked with one half of the leather on the boards replaced with old leather from another book. Catches and clasps wanting. Upper sewing supports broken.
Subject (Geographic):
Connecticut and New Haven.
Subject (Name):
Catholic Church
Subject (Topic):
Books of hours, Illumination of books and manuscripts, Medieval, Manuscripts, Medieval, and Psalters
