A lovely original leaf from a medieval manuscript pocket Bible, written in Paris c. 1240-50. Presented in a leather bound leaf book with brass bosses and an additional six-page essay by Bruce Ferrini. Limited edition number 49 of 1000; Published in Akron, Ohio, 1994. (Leaf: 150x100 mm – 6 x 4 inches – Book: 230x158mm – 9 x 6.25 inches).
An attractive and historical medieval Bible leaf in nice condition, handsomely presented. The binding was custom made in full stamped leather in medieval style by Pat Bruno, Bookbinder of Sacramento, CA.
The leaf is written in Latin gothic micro-minuscule script, ruled in red & written in brown ink in two columns of 44 lines on animal vellum. Rubricated chapter numbers, three multi-line illuminated Lombard style initials extending into the margin in red & blue. The text is written in extremely tiny & very well formed letters, so small that there are twelve lines of text to the inch!
This leaf continues Romans 8:26 – 11:15: “Sicut oportet…” (…but the Spirit himself asketh for us with unspeakable groanings…And we know that to them that love God, all things work together unto good, to such as, according to his purpose, are called to be saints…If thou confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thy heart that God hath raised him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For, with the heart, we believe unto justice; for, with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation…For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved…)
The book from which this leaf came was a very high-quality production, scribed in the Johannes Grusch Workshop in Paris. The calligraphy is excellent, and the vellum is of the finest style, extremely thin and very white. Other leaves from this same book were exhibited in the Jeanne Blackburn Collection at the Cleveland Art Museum (pl. 7 & 8).
