Beschreibung:

Book of Hours (Use of Rome). Illuminated manuscript on prepared parchment in Latin, Northern France, circa 1450, 198 (of 199) leaves including 12 full-page decorative illuminations in liquid gold, blue, red, green, orange, pink and white, leaf size 98 x 72 mm, calendar with 17 lines per page in red and brown ink, with small initial to each month in liquid gold, blue, pink, and black pen outlines, lacking first leaf of manuscript calendar at front (calendar begins with February), main text with 13 lines per page in brown ink in a gothic textualis bookhand, with capitals in blue and red, or gold with pen-flourishing in black, and numerous small two-line initials in liquid gold, blue, red, white and black, first leaf with some light soiling, and first two leaves with some overall toning, generally in very good condition with no obvious defects, 20th century inscription to front endpaper 'B. N-B. from J.R. N-B. 1969', gilt-gauffered edges, early 20th century Arts & Crafts style plain brown full morocco (unsigned), spine with raised bands, lettered in gilt to spine Horae B.V.M., binding measures 104 x 80 mm (4.1 x 3.1 ins), housed in dark olive green cloth slipcase (Qty: 1) Contents: Calendar (folios 2-12), Hours of the Cross (folios 13-18), Mass for the Blessed Virgin Mary (folios 19-32), Hours of the Blessed Virgin Mary- Matins (folios 33-57), Lauds (folios 58-72), Prime (folios 73-77), Terce (folios 78-83), Sext (folios 84-88), Nones (folios 89-93), Vespers (folios 94-103), Compline (folios 104-109), Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary (said through Advent at Vespers, folios 110-123, including blank leaf at end), Seven Penitential Psalms (folios 124-144), and Office of the Dead, (folios 145-199). Provenance: Northern France, given the names of saints (and bishops) in the calendar associated with towns in northern France. The partially filled calendar includes the feast days of, among others, Blaise (3 February), Saint Valentine (14 February), Romain, Bishop of Rouen (28 February), Saint Benedict (21 May), Saint Germain, Bishop of Paris (28 May), Bishop Lambert of Liege (17 September), and Saint Remy or Remigius of Rheims (1 October). Purchased from Bernard Quaritch, booksellers, London, in 1910 on the advice of S. C. Cockerell, and bound thereafter (according to 20th century handwritten note included with the volume). Attractive near-miniature book of hours designed for private devotion from Northern France.