BIBLE (Old and New Testaments; Interpretation... Lot 8

BIBLE (Old and New Testaments; Interpretation of Hebrew names). In Latin, illuminated manuscript on parchment. France, almost certainly Paris, circa 1230-1240 (?). 375 ff, preceded and followed by a parchment leaf, complete [collation: i16, ii16, iii16, iv16, v16, vi16, vii18, viii16, ix20, x12, xi16, xii16, xiii16, xiv16, xv18, xvi16, xvii16, xviii16, xix16, xx16, xxi14, xxii16, xxiii10, xxiv11 (12-1)], fine Gothic script, text in two columns, ruled in graphite (justification 140x86 mm), a few advertisements (partly trimmed, e.g. f. 148v), a few early signatures (Roman numerals at bottom of lower margins, e.g. f. 95, f. 113, f. 129), running titles in red and blue capital letters in the upper margins (some running titles trimmed), alternating blue and red paragraph signs, "modern" chapters indicated in the margins with Roman numerals in red and blue ink, "old" chapters indicated in the body of the text with initials painted in blue or red, larger initials painted in red or blue (sometimes also "puzzle" initials) with blue or red watermarked decoration (mostly introducing the prologues), very large "puzzle" initials in red and blue with blue and red watermarked decoration marking the beginning of the biblical books, small initials painted in red for the "Interpretations of Hebrew Names", numerous marginal annotations and/or corrections (contemporary or near-contemporary hands). Some defects to parchment, with small cuts in margins, not affecting text; some old repairs to parchment; some leaves with paler ink (e.g. ff. 9, 16, 18v-19, 19v-20, 21v-22, 22v, 23v, 28, 36v, 37v-38, 38v-3939v, 40v-41); parchment restoration to lower right corner of first leaf. Bound in full stiff vellum, 5-ribbed spine, upper flyleaf detached. Size of leaves: 198x132 mm; size of binding: 210x135 mm Provenance : 1 - Manuscript most likely copied and decorated in northern France, probably Paris. The sequence of biblical books and prologues retained in this manuscript corresponds to the "Paris Bible" elaborated from 1200 ("Proto-Paris Bible"; see L. Light, 1994, 2011, 2012) and fixed with its modern chapters from around 1230. From a dating point of view, this manuscript seems to have been copied fairly early, around 1230-1240, as it still retains the old chapters indicated by means of red or blue painted initials in the body of the text (unnumbered), while providing the "modern" chapters in the outer margins (red and blue Roman numerals). In contrast, the "capitula lists" have disappeared entirely from this manuscript. This dating to circa 1230-1240 is corroborated by the style of the watermarked initials, which correspond to the type of watermarks identified and dated by P. Stirnemann, circa 1230-1250 (see Stirnemann, 1990, cat. 25 to 30, the latter cat. 30 is a Missal for Dominican use, dated circa 1233-1243; cat. 25 is a Bible whose Interpretations of Hebrew Names are dated 1234). 2 - Numerous annotations and a few pen marks or inscriptions on the upper spine. In particular, we note the following inscription on the sanitary state of Rome, attributed to Pierre Damien, an 11th-century cardinal: "P. Damyani Cardinali / Roma ferax febrium necis est uberrima frugum / Romane febres sunt iure stabilique fidèles" [Rome fertile in fevers, abundant in the fruits of death and to whom, by an immutable pact, fever is always faithful] (see P. Damien, De romani febribus, writing to Pope Nicholas II). 3 - An inscription with a date of "1454" (upper counterguard) and a legible beginning: "Ego Nicolaus...hospitali Romae...". 4 - France, private collection. SEE DETAILED SHEET IN PDF CATALOG