1403 -BOOK OF HOURS / ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM Large miniature of Crucifixion, 1200 initials in gold Start Price USD 18,000.00 Current Price USD 18,000.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Wednesday, November 19, 2008 End Time Saturday, November 29, 2008 Location Faro See more about '1403 -BOOK OF HOURS / ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM' Description ORIGINAL BOOK OF HOURS ON VELLUM     VERY EARLY 15TH CENTURY Book of Hours, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM with an inscribed date of 1403   Blank leaf with a contemporary Latin inscription reading “Hic Liber emptus est anno millesimo quadragesimo tertio A Petro Noel”, in English “this book was bought by/for Petro Noel in the year 1403. (We asked a professional paleographer to decipher and translate the inscription )   This is therefore a manuscript from 1403 or a little earlier (usually the Book of hours that appear in the market are from the second half of the 15th century).   Bound in contemporary Medieval  (1400´s) full calf over wooden boards   MANUSCRIPT WITH A BEAUTIFUL MINIATURE (165 x 110 mm) OF THE CRUCIFIXION in an arched compartment  (110 mm x 60 mm).  Christ is standing on a cross, on his right side is standing St. John and the Virgin, on his left side two soldiers, and in the back a mob of soldiers.  There is an illuminated initial bellow and five lines of text.  Miniature within full illuminated borders of colored flowers, fruits, and a monkey carrying a cat.  This miniature is of great artistic quality and is pasted on the inner board of binding.  The miniature probably comes from another illuminated book of hours and was pasted there by a previous owner.     171 leaves (5 blank), 170 mm x 110 mm or 6 2/3” x 4 1/3” 16 lines, written in black and in red in a gothic liturgical  hand Text in Latin and French   Illuminated with   1200 INITIALS  IN LIQUID GOLD on blue and pink ground with ornamental white tracery.  The initials painted in 1, 2-line and 3-line.    including   4 large (4-line) initials in blue or pink with white pen work enclosing foliage and terminating in red and blue flowers all in liquid gold background   The large initials within full illuminated borders of colored flowers, leaves enhanced in gold on black hairline stems   +   approximately 160 line-fillers in blue pink with white pen work and with a liquid gold spot.     Condition: Manuscript probably missing 15 leaves.  In general in very  good condition and fresh conserving its original bright colors and gold.  Nevertheless some leaves with minor soiling and approximately 6 initials smudged.  Binding very fresh and conserving its initial beauty.      Please see our other auctions   Please feel free to request additional pictures and information.  The work is offered with refund guarantee in case you are not satisfied with your purchase. Return at full buyer's cost unless misrepresented description. Place a Bid!