Manuscript on parchment of Boethius, De topicis differentiis.
Description:
Binding: Date? Limp vellum case with title, in ink, on spine: "Topica boetij"., One historiated initial, f. 1v, blue with white filigree and highlights against a square reddish brown ground with white filigree, showing Boethius as a monk in a blue robe seated on a chair and holding a scroll inscribed with his name, and a disciple, dressed in a red robe and holding a book inscribed with the opening words of the text proper, both figures against a grey ground with white filigree. Three illuminated initials, ff. 7v, 16v, 23r, 6- to 4-line (without ascenders or descenders), blue with white filigree against reddish brown ground with white filigree or reddish brown against blue ground with white filigree. The initials are filled with scrolling vines blue or reddish brown with white highlights, with stylized leaves, ending in dragons' heads against reddish brown or blue grounds. Descender, f. 16v, in form of a dragon, reddish brown against blue ground. Flourished initials, 2-line, and paragraph marks alternate red and blue., and Script: Written in compact gothic bookhand by a single scribe, below top line.
Manuscript on paper of Antoninus Pontus (Antonino Ponti from Cosenza, ca. 1600-1650), Rhomitypion. An allegorical treatise in three parts on the past and present state of Rome and Italy, topography, cosmography, geography, etc. Includes a dream vision of heaven and a dialogue between the author and Cato the Censor. Ends with a panegyric in praise of Giovanni Ruffo de' Teodoli, Archbishop of Cosenza (1511-1527), the author's patron. The manuscript is apparently unique and probably an autograph fair copy.
Description:
At many places the paper is damaged and the reading impaired by the acidity of the ink., Belonged to Sir Thomas Phillipps, MS 887. Purchased on the Edwin J. Beinecke Fund., Binding: Original presentation binding: light brown leather over pasteboard. Spine with three raised bands, gauffered and gilt edges. Both covers are decorated with two frames of blind-tooled quadruple fillets surrounding rich gold-tooled frames with in the centre on the front cover the coat of arms of the dedicatee (with six-spoked wheel), on the rear cover a large rosette. Remainders of two pairs of ties., On f. 2v, painted coat of arms of Giovanni Ruffo de' Teodoli, Archbishop of Cosenza, surmounted by a cross and placed in a floral wreath, above two distychs. At the head of each part a 6-line silver initial (Capitalis), outlined with black ink, on a square red or blue background with silver foliate decoration. A small purple initial in the space for a 4-line initial on f. 4r., and Script: Copied by one hand in a slightly uneven upright Humanistica Cursiva Formata. Headings and explicit-incipit formulas in capitals.
Manuscript (holograph?) on parchment of nineteen poems, dedicated to Niccolo Franco, Bishop of Treviso (d. 1499), and other members of the literary circle in Treviso with whom Giovanni Aurelio Augurello (ca. 1440-1524) was actively connected as a famous private teacher and distinguished poet from 1491 until his death. Only the seventeenth poem of MS 22 is directly related to alchemy, but it is above all a literary exercise.
Description:
Binding: Apparently original. Blind-stamped red goatskin (now darkened), repaired, sides paneled with blind fillets, two rows of differing knotwork tools, four clasps and catches now lacking, two asterisk-headed brass nails for each clasp remaining on upper cover, plain edges, modern leather label on backstrip with three faintly raised original bands., Large capital letters, mostly plain, at the beginning (written in the left margins) and dedication of each poem in pale red. On f. 1v (blank on the recto) is a drawing in delicate wash of a tree, lower left, against the base of which leans a small book in a red cover; extending upward from the treetop to the sun, at extreme top right, is the inscription in red capitals: "VTCVNQ[VE] TIBI." On f. 2r, opposite the dedicatory drawing just described, there is further decoration in the same delicate wash colors: a leaf in the margin beside the dedication to Niccolo Franco, Bishop of Treviso; light tracery ornament surrounding the capital "F" in the left margin at the beginning of the first poem; and Franco's arms, surmounted by the Bishop's mitre and surrounded by green twigs tied with red ribbons, in the lower margin. At the end of the manuscript, beneath the colophon, there is a further drawing and inscription in green wash, referable to the final poem: a small Roman sarcophagus with a little book in red binding lying atop it, and the inscription "POSTERITATI SACRUM" below., and Script: Written by a single scribe in a good humanistic cursive.
Manuscript on parchment of 1) The author, Quintus Aemilianus Cimbriacus (1449-1499) of Vicenza, speaking to his book of poetry, 6 lines. 2) 28-line encomium dedicated to Niccolo Donati, Patriarch of Aquileia, 1493-97. 3) Rhapsodia I. 4-7) Rhapsodia I-V. 8) De mysteriis christianis. 9-10) Poems to Angelus Padavinus.
Description:
Binding: Date?, Italy. Tacketed to a limp vellum wrapper made from a parchment document: Agostino Barbarigo, doge of Venice (1486-1501), writes on behalf of the secretary Joannes B[remainder of name missing due to hole in parchment], dated Venice, 5 May 14[8?]8. Filing notes on upper cover. Title in majuscules on upper cover: "Quintii Haemiliani Cimbriaci Vti [for Vincentinus?]"., Half-page coat of arms (argent [oxidized], a chief with 3 roses gules above 2 bars gules; crest: bishop's mitre surmounted by gold cross) enclosed by a wreath with flowers and fruit and four ribbons, f. 1v. Plain gold majuscules outlined in black, 4- to 2-line, mark beginning of arts. 2-8; headings for each poem in black epigraphic square capitals., and Script: Written in a well-formed upright humanistic bookhand.
Manuscript on parchment of Petrus Pictaviensis, Compendium historiae in genealogia Christi.
Alternative Title:
Compendium historiae in genealogia Christi
Description:
Binding: Nineteenth century, Germany. Grubby blue paper wrapper. Title, in ink, on upper cover: "Manuscript des XIII#t#e#n Jahrhunderts. Historia mundi sec. ord. chronol. usque ad mortem Jesu Christi"., Genealogical tables accompany text throughout: drawn in red with roundels connected by pairs of parallel lines and aligned between red vertical rulings. Roundels for Adam and Eve, f. 1r, in yellow and blue, respectively; the roundels for their descendants on green ground. The plan of the temple at Jerusalem, f. 4r, in red, green and blue. The roundels for Christ, f. 5r, in blue, yellow, and red. Headings in red; spaces left for decorative initials remain unfilled., Lower portion of f. 1 torn, with loss of text., and Script: Written by a single scribe in fine gothic bookhand, above top line.
Manuscript on parchment (hair side mottled) of Suetonius, De vita Caesarum.
Description:
Binding: Fifteenth century, Italy. Resewn on four supports and rebacked. Edges yellow. Covered in brown leather over wooden boards, blind-tooled with concentric frames alternately filled with rope interlace. A triple cross in the central panel. Badly cut tools and impressions burned into the leather. Four fastenings, the catches on the lower board., Floral border in lower margin, pen inkspray with flowers in blue, red, green and pink, and gold balls, surrounding a wreathed medallion with unidentified arms (azure 3 bendlets argent, a chief or with 3 birds sable beaked and membered gules) and the initials VI and M (arms and initials are later additions), on a parchment ground. 12 illuminated initials, 8- to 6-line, gold. Some against green and red grounds with yellow and white highlights, filled with yellow shaded white vine-stem ornament against blue, green and red grounds with white and yellow dots. Other initials on blue, green and red grounds with yellow shaded white vine-stem ornament, yellow and white dots. Initials on ff. 1r, 26v, 83v, 119r, 140r, 170r are enclosed within faceted rectangular frames. Headings and marginal notes by original scribe in red., Illuminated title page with partial border in upper and inner margin, white vine-stem ornament against vibrant blue, green and red ground with white dots and gold balls, terminating in pen inkspray with gold balls and large blossoms, yellow and red with gold highlights in upper margin, blue with white highlights in inner margin. Inner margin interrupted by a scrolling banderole (no inscription) in blue and red with white highlights., and Script: Written by a single scribe in a round humanistic script that inclines slightly toward the left.
Manuscript on paper of Poggio Bracciolini, Facetiae.
Description:
Binding: Sixteenth century, Italy. Backs of quires cut in V's. Brown goatskin case faintly blind-tooled with concentric frames and spiralling dragon motifs that incorporate flowers and long beaked birds. Rebacked., One illuminated initial on f. 1r, 6-line, gold against deep red, green, and blue cusped ground with white filigree and white dots. From left corners penwork sprays issuing forth into inner margin, with blue and red blossoms and green leaves. Plain initials, placed between vertical rulings, alternate blue and red, some omitted., Script: Written in a round humanistic bookhand by a single scribe, below top line., and Watermarks: similar to Briquet Lettre S 9050; watermark on back pastedown similar to Briquet Fleur 6596-97, 99 and 6602.
Manuscript on parchment (fine; leaves repaired before pricking and ruling) of the Collected Works of Hugh of St. Victor.
Description:
8-line illuminated initial, blue with white highlights on square ground, magenta with blue and white highlights; interior of initial inhabited by scrolling vines, rabbit and two animal heads on gold and blue ground; tail of letter extends down inner margin. 11- to 7-line red and blue initials divided by a zig-zag line in parchment and with interior red and blue flourishes resembling the design on a peacock's tail feathers, mostly in red with small blue circles. This style of initial accompanied by long penwork extensions in red and blue I designs and with small spirals, circles, flourishes. Small 3-line initials alternate red and blue with penwork flourishes in the opposite color. 1-line plain initials alternate red and blue for chapter lists. Remains of guide letters for decorator. Headings, running titles (often incorrect), deletions (single horiztonal red line) and initial strokes in red., Binding: France [?], ca. 19th c. Brown calf, elaborately blind-stamped with figure of Christ giving a blessing with his right hand, while his left hand holds a book with alpha and omega displayed on the open pages. Original endbands (and therefore sewing?) and yellow edges., Binding: Nineteenth century, France (?). Brown calf, elaborately blind-stamped with figure of Christ giving a blessing with his right hand, while his left hand holds a book with alpha and omega displayed on the open pages. Original endbands (and therefore sewing?) and yellow edges., Purchased from L. C. Witten in 1960 by Thomas E. Marston., Script: Written in uniform gothic bookhand throughout; contemporary marginal notes in several less formal hands., and Written in uniform gothic bookhand throughout; contemporary marginal notes in several less formal hands.
Manuscript on parchment of 1) Rudimenta grammatices (Grammatica latina secundum Donatum). 2) Disticha Catonis.
Description:
Binding: Twentieth century, England (?). Quarter bound in brown, blind-tooled calf over wooden boards., Historiated initial, f. 1r, 11-line, pink against blue ground with a half-length portrait in profile of the author, dressed in red and green robes and a red hat against parchment ground with brown penwork. Foliage serifs, green, blue and red extending into inner and upper margin to form partial border. In center of lower margin, blank shield for coat of arms, flanked by stylized foliage, blue and red. In outer margin, small patch of green with boy or man sitting under a tree (visible under ultra-violet light). One illuminated initial on f. 11r, 8-line, pink against blue ground filled with stylized foliage, blue, green and red. Plain initials in red. Small initials touched with yellow., Purchased from H. P. Kraus in 1955 by Thomas E. Marston., Script: Written in round gothic bookhand by a single scribe., and The entire manuscript is well worn, affecting the text; f. 1r is badly rubbed and stained.
Manuscript on parchment (goatskin) of 1) Raymundus Martini OP (c. 1215-after 1285), Capistrum Iudaeorum, composed c. 1267. 2) Nicolaus de Lyra (c. 1270-1349), Probatio adventus Christi, 2nd redaction, written 1331-1334. 3) Odo Biagi of Ancona (Odo Blasii de Ancona), Quaestiones de vera fide. A treatise addressed to the Jew A., a physician from Piceno, whom the author had met in Ancona the same year.
Description:
Binding: Nineteenth century. De luxe binding (loose) in Neo-Renaissance style: red morocco over cardboard, both covers richly gold-tooled; the turn-ins gold-tooled; the flat spine gold-tooled in five compartments, the second one bearing the inscription “NICOLAI / de / LYRA.” Grey marbled paper endleaves; gilt edges. A repair at the middle of the top of the front parchment flyleaf may indicate that the original binding was chained, the staple being fixed at the top of the front cover., Script: Copied by one hand writing Southern Gothica Textualis Libraria. In art. 1 the handwriting is larger and more careful, with fewer abbreviations, than in artt. 2-3., and Uniform decoration. Headings in red. Red stroking of majuscules. Numerous paragraph marks alternately red and blue. Alternately red and blue 2-line (rarely 3-line) flourished initials with penwork and more or less developed marginal extensions in the contrasting colour; up to f. 41v they have mostly a more developed pattern of penwork; towards the end of art. 3 they are only 1 line high; blue penwork of the initial on f. 31r is extremely pale. 2-3-line painted decorated initials with acanth extensions in the margins in art. 3 only. A 4-line historiated initial with acanths and gold balls in the margin at the opening of each art. At the top of the Genealogy of Christ on f. 94r two roundels containing the portraits of Abraham (“Abraam”) and David (“Davit”). There is a large drawing of a running bird in blue ink in the lower margin of f. 19r.
Subject (Name):
Martí, Ramón,--d. ca. 1286 and Nicholas,--of Lyra,--ca. 1270-1349