Beschreibung:

Book of Hours, Use of Rome, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on parchment [Low Countries, c. 1430-40] 273 leaves (plus two paper endleaves at front and one back; not “260 feuillets” as in nineteenth-century pencil at back, that count omitting 1 leaf and the Calendar), textually complete (probably wanting only a single leaf with a miniature), the workshop tending to add in single leaves before major text endings in order to complete texts before miniatures, collation: i12, ii10, iii8, iv10, v9 (text complete, so miniature probably on singleton), vi-vii8, viii9 (first wanting, once with a miniature), ix10, x9 (iii a singleton to complete text), xi9 (iii a singleton to complete text), xii9 (but no text missing), xiii8, xiv9 (no text missing, last a singleton to complete text), xv5 (no text missing, first a singleton to complete text), xvi-xviii8, xix6, xx3 (last a singleton, no text missing), xxi-xxv8, xxvi9 (vi a singleton added to complete text), xxvii8, xxviii9 (vii a singleton added to complete text), xxix8, xxx9 (v a singleton added to complete text), xxxi8, xxxii7 (iv a singleton added to complete text), xxxiii6, xxxiv3 (last a singleton added to complete text), single column, 14 lines in an excellent late gothic hand influenced by lettre bâtarde, rubrics in red, small initials in liquid gold on pink and blue grounds heightened with white penwork, each leaf with an initial with a gold and coloured text border on outer edge with accompanying panel of single-line foliage terminating in gold leaves, seed pods and coloured leaves, Calendar decorated in blue and liquid gold, eighteen full page miniatures, most with tessellated grounds in gold and colours, and with full borders of rinceaux with gold leaves and seed pods, sprays of coloured acanthus leaves and bezants, enclosing numerous half-length angels, animal and bird drolleries, an orange devil and a reading monk, each miniature opposite a text leaf with a large gold initial enclosing coloured foliage and full illuminated and decorated border as before (one text leaf in this form with a gold-headed dragon and a human-headed drollery, whose head has been severed and lies bleeding in the border; this probably wanting its corresponding miniature leaf), a few small smudges to borders, trimming to outer edges with some affect to a number of vertical edges of decorated borders, small flaws in upper outer corners of fols. 220-224 skillfully repaired on blank back with tape, but overall in excellent and clean condition, 97 by 68 mm., eighteenth-century French red morocco, elaborately gilt-tooled with floral sprays around a central chevron and the Crucifixion on front, and Virgin and Child on back, similar gilt floral sprays in compartments of spine, some small cracks to spine edges, two working metal clasps (one detachable, but fitting in place when book is closed), gilt edge and gauffered, fitted burgundy leather case Provenance: (1) Written and illuminated in the southern Netherlands, apparently for a local patron in western France or the adjacent parts of modern Belgium: SS. Amand (d. after 676, and credited with bringing monasticism to Belgium, feast on 6 February), Albinus of Angers (d. 550, feast on 1 March), Arnold of Soissons (d. 1087, feast on 14 August) and Bertin of Saint-Omer (d. c. 709, feast on 5 September) in Calendar. She is doubtless the kneeling woman who appears gazing at the Virgin and Child adoringly on fol. 28v, and who is shown kneeling before the Holy Trinity on fol. 141v. (2) From a private English collection and passing by descent for several generations. Text: The volume comprises: a Calendar (fol. 1r); the Hours of the Cross (fol. 14r); the Hours of the Holy Spirit (fol.22r); the Hours of the Virgin (fol. 29r), with Matins (fol. 42r), Lauds (fol. 63r), Prime (fol. 75r), Terce (fol. 80r), Sext (fol. 85r), None (fol. 91r), Vespers (fol. 97r), and Compline (fol. 106r), followed by seasonal adaptations (fol. 113r); the Seven Penitential Psalms (fol. 123r), wi