Original leaf from a medieval manuscript pocket Bible. Latin rotunda gothic script, ruled in red & written in brown ink in two columns of 50 lines on animal vellum.(197 x 130 mm - 7.9 x 5.2").
Rubricated chapter numbers, two multi-lined illuminated Lombard style initials and elegant marginalia in red and blue. The gothic text is written in extremely tiny & very well formed letters – so small that there are ten lines of text to the inch!
Italy (probably Bologna), c. 1250.
Text is Luke 21:9 - 23:18 (note: scribe incorrectly titles Chapter 23 XXXIII): ''Cum...'' (And when you shall hear of wars and seditions, be not terrified...Nation shall rise against nation...You shall be hated by all men for my name's sake. But a hair of your head shall not perish. In your patience you shall possess your souls...Then they shall see the Son of man coming in a cloud...Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away...This is my body which is given for you. Do this for a commemoration of me....This is the chalice, the new testament in my blood, which shall be shed for you...Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, till thou thrice deniest that thou knowest me...Judas, dost thou betray the Son of man with a kiss? ...).
Provenance: Ex-collection Otto Ege (1888-1951). 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 leaves to schools, libraries, calligraphers and printers. Sister leaves to this one are # 11 in the Ege Portfolio of Fifty Original Leaves (Gwara HL11) - see Cary Collection - Rochester Institute (online example) and other museums.
A lovely leaf with important textual content
Shipped in archival 14x11'' mat.
