Psalter Leaf (3 results)

Illuminated manuscript leaf from a medieval Psalter, 10.8 cm. x 7.4 cm., 16 lines of ruled Latin text, gothic script in dark brown ink on vellum, with ten small (one-line) illuminated initials (six on the upper side, four on the other), five of the initials in blue & red pen-work, five in blue & burnished gold, the edges of the leaf ruled in red; within a double blue & white mount. *The text is Psalm 108: 6-14 (Psalm 107 in the Vulgate Bible), preceded by the last four words of verse 5. The first illuminated initial is E: 'Exaltare super caelos, Deus . . .' ['Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens, and thy glory above all the earth: that thy beloved may be delivered: save thy right hand and hear me. God hath spoken in his holiness. I will rejoice . . . O grant us help from trouble for vain is the help of man. Through God we shall do mightily: and he will bring our enemies to nothing']. Signed.

125 x 88 mm. (4 7/8 x 3 1/2"). Single column, 15 lines in a gothic book hand. Attractively matted. Folio number in red, several line enders in gold with blue penwork, 10 one-line initials in gold on blue and pink ground, one two-line initial painted pink and filled with blue and orange acanthus on gilt ground, verso with a three-quarter border branching from the larger initial, composed of pink and blue curling lines accentuated with gold spikes, bezants, and painted ivy leaves, UPPER BRANCH TERMINATING IN A WONDERFUL HYBRID CREATURE WITH THE FACE OF A MAN AND THE BODY OF AN ORANGE BEAST, AND THE LOWER BRANCH INCORPORATING ANOTHER FACE WITH A LONG BEARD. From the collection of Joseph Pope (his MS Bergendal 116), about whom see below. âA little soiling and staining along edges of vellum and a couple of small marks in lower margin verso, but in excellent condition overall, the paint especially bright and fresh. From the distinguished collection of Canadian financier Joseph Pope (1921-2010), this charming leaf comes from a small-format Psalter intended for private use, and features two amusing drolleries incorporated into the marginal design. Pope's collection was sold by Sotheby's on 5 July 2011, where this leaf appeared as part of lot 115; it was later listed in Quaritch Catalogue 1422 (no. 88), which states that "according to [Pope's] note, this leaf was found tipped in to a much later Book of Hours (his MS Bergendal 64--produced in the southern Netherlands for a southern French patron during the first half of the 15th century--at f. 94, the middle of the Penitential Psalms); the manuscript was acquired by Pope at Sotheby's sale of 6 December 1983 (lot 79).".

No Binding. Condition: Near Fine. PSALTER LEAF] manuscript on vellum, [Germany, mid-13th century]. 30 x 20 cm. Featuring Psalm 69: "Salvum me fac, Deus, quoniam intraverunt aquæ usque ad animam meam" ("Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my soul"). Simple wood frame, not examined out of frame.The leaf includes a historiated initial 'S' depicting angels rescuing a drowning figure, symbolizing God's intervention and mercy, and reinforcing the hope for salvation. This is a rare and early example of great interest for both the historiated initial and the square notes, highlighting its contemporary relation to Franco of Cologne's Ars cantus mensurabilis, a precursor to modern musical notation. (See also another leaf we catalogued from the presumed same manuscript, albeit obtained from separate collections.).