14 - Leaf from a large University Bible, with pastiche initial from same parent manuscript, in Latin, on vellum, [northern France, thirteenth century], single large leaf, with text in double columns of 50 lines in a good University hand, red rubrics, running titles in alternate blue and red capitals, one 6-line initial ‘M’ (opening “Marcus evangelista dei electus et …”, a prologue to Mark) in blue enclosing coloured foliage on gold and dark pink grounds with bezants, one foliate tendril curling into the margin, one large initial ‘I’ (133mm. high; opening “Initium evangelii ihesu Christi filii dei …”, Mark 1:1) in gold and colours, the main body of the initial removed at some point, leaving the geometric head of the initial with facing orange-faced beasts snapping at a bezant, and the long angular-edged foliate extension down the inner margin, the central section then carefully supplied from another similar initial from the same parent manuscript, that enclosing three spirals of foliage enclosing fleshy trilobed leaves on gold grounds, a small section at foot of the addition including a single word from the other leaf (“sacerdo”), a few hairline brushstrokes perhaps added to complete a single orange leaf and five white decorative lines in order to make good the connection between the newly supplied section and the remaining head of the original initial, some slight cockling, a few small spots and stains, overall in excellent condition, approximately 290 by 193mm.; framed (and not examined out of the frame)

Leaf from a large University Bible, with pastiche initial from same parent manuscript, in Latin, on vellum, [northern France, thirteenth century], single large leaf, with text in double columns of 50 lines in a good University hand, red rubrics, running titles in alternate blue and red capitals, one 6-line initial ‘M’ (opening “Marcus evangelista dei electus et …”, a prologue to Mark) in blue enclosing coloured foliage on gold and dark pink grounds with bezants, one foliate tendril curling into the margin, one large initial ‘I’ (133mm. high; opening “Initium evangelii ihesu Christi filii dei …”, Mark 1:1) in gold and colours, the main body of the initial removed at some point, leaving the geometric head of the initial with facing orange-faced beasts snapping at a bezant, and the long angular-edged foliate extension down the inner margin, the central section then carefully supplied from another similar initial from the same parent manuscript, that enclosing three spirals of foliage enclosing fleshy trilobed leaves on gold grounds, a small section at foot of the addition including a single word from the other leaf (“sacerdo”), a few hairline brushstrokes perhaps added to complete a single orange leaf and five white decorative lines in order to make good the connection between the newly supplied section and the remaining head of the original initial, some slight cockling, a few small spots and stains, overall in excellent condition, approximately 290 by 193mm.; framed (and not examined out of the frame) *** Acquired by the present owner from Philip J. Pirages at the New York Book fair in 2011.