Beschreibung:

Collection of leaves from early French Books of Hours, in Latin, illuminated manuscripts on parchment [first half of fifteenth century] Eleven leaves, comprising: (1) three leaves from a Book of Hours, Use of Coutances, Normandy, all with single column of 15 lines, red rubrics, one-line initials in gold on blue and pink grounds, line-fillers in same, one large initial on each page in same enclosing coloured foliage on gold grounds, one gold and coloured bar down left-hand side of text column with each initial, some of these ending with sprays of coloured acanthus leaves and coloured flowers with spiky stamens, a half-length woman in red robes and a pink hood, a kneeling devotee in blue robes and a red hat pointing at the text, a blue human face with a pointed beard, a large green and red frilled dragon with a long-billed bird's head and a woody thorn with wings and feet, these with floral shoots emerging from them terminating in coloured and gold leaves, some small scuffs to gold in places, slight shine-through from decoration in places, a few spots and stains, overall good and clean condition, each approximately 162 by 112mm., Normandy, c. 1420; (2) two bifolia (4 leaves) from a Book of Hours, each leaf with single column of 14 lines, red rubrics, one-line initials in gold on blue and pink grounds, line-fillers in same, larger initials in same colours enclosing foliage on gold grounds, full borders of gold and coloured text bars with sprigs of coloured foliage and three geometric twist at foot or sides of text bars, five coloured dragons snapping at gold bezants, small spots and stains (especially at outer edges), margins slightly cockled, overall excellent condition, 183 by 134mm., France, c. 1400-20; (3) leaf from a Book of Hours, single column of 18 lines, capitals touched in yellow, red rubrics, one- to 3-line initials in blue or pink enclosing coloured baubles or foliage on gold grounds, line-fillers in same, full illuminated border of gold woody stems branching into rinceaux foliage terminating in coloured flowerheads and gold leaves, excellent condition, 211 by 156mm., France (Paris), c. 1420; (4) two leaves from a Book of Hours, each with single column of 11 lines, one-line initials in gold on pink and blue, line-fillers in same, larger initials in same colours enclosing foliage on gold grounds, full borders of gold and coloured texts bars, acanthus-leaf sprays and rinceaux foliage terminating in coloured flower-heads and gold leaves, small spots, else excellent condition, 201 by 144mm., France, c. 1440; (5) Calendar leaf for November, from a Book of Hours, entries in French in gold, blue and pink, one-line initials in gold on pink and blue grounds, 'KL' initial in same colours enclosing coloured foliage on gold grounds, thin gold and coloured bars on three sides of the text with full borders of single-line rinceaux foliage with gold leaves and seedpods, small stains and slight cockling at edges, else good condition, 182 by 137mm., France, c. 1400-20 Item (1) here was already dispersed in the 1950s in North America, with two of the three leaves here traceable back to Books Inc, of San Francisco in April 1953. Item (3) here is from an exquisitely illuminated but imperfect Book of Hours, sold in Sotheby's, 5 December 1995, lot 43.