Original leaf from a medieval ‘’Laughing Carp Psalter’’. So called because of the distinctive smiling fish line-extenders. 20 lines of text, written in Latin on animal vellum in gothic script. (195 x 143 mm - 7.8 x 5.7").
Two two-line illuminated initials in burnished gold with a blue interior with white penwork on a pink ground; eighteen one-line illuminated initials in alternating in deep blue with red penwork and burnished gold with blue penwork; eight illuminated line extenders (four of which are ''laughing carp'') alternating in red and blue.
Germany (or Switzerland?), c. 1240.
Provenance: Ex-collection Otto Ege (1888-1951). Other leaves from the parent manuscript appear as item 10 in Ege's famous portfolio ''Fifty Original Leaves from Medieval Manuscripts''. Forty sets were produced, of which at least 23 are currently in institutions and museums. Ege was Dean of the Cleveland Institute of Art and Lecturer on History of the Book at Western Reserve University and Northwestern University. Ege increased awareness of the history of the book through the dissemination of individual pages to schools, libraries, calligraphers and printers. (Reference Gwara Handlist , HL-10)
The one-line illuminated ''S'' begins Psalm 80 (King James 81) 14-17: ''Si populus...'' (If my people had heard me...).
The two-line illuiminated ''D'' begins Psalm 81 (KJ 82) complete: ''Deus...'' (God hath stood in the congregation of gods: and being in the midst of them he judgeth gods...).
The second two-line illuminated ''D'' begins Psalm 82 (KJ 83) 1-10: ''Deus...'' (O God, who shall be like to thee? Hold not thy peace, neither be thou still, O God...).
Shipped in archival 14x11'' mat.
