

Seder Keri’ath Shema Alha-Mitah (Prayers before Retiring at Night)

by Jospe ben Meyer Schmalkalden of Mainz

by Jospe ben Meyer Schmalkalden of Mainz



Adieux A Marie Stuart

by Charles Swinburne by Charles Swinburne

The word manuscript comes from the Latin manu scriptum, which translates literally to "written with hands". It typically refers to any document produced manually, through handwriting, chiseling or other method, without the use of machines.Anis any manuscript whose text is accompanied by decoration. It originally referred only to silver or gilt adornments, but came to be acceptable terminology for any manuscript with drawings, paintings or decorations such as ornate initials, borders, floral accoutrements and the like. Often the illuminations would depict a historical or rural/pastoral scene.The earliest confirmed example of illuminated manuscripts in existence today originated some 2000+ years ago. While some of the oldest instances were on papyrus, a thick, papery substance produced from the pulped flesh of the Egyptian papyrus plant, most were made of parchment, a thin writing material made from the skin of an animal, usually calf, goat or sheep. The highest quality parchment, very smooth and fine, was called vellum.Some of the best examples of illuminated manuscripts surviving today come in the form of Books of Hours, rich and ornate devotional books containing collections or hymns, psalms, and prayers. The term Books of Hours is derived from their attention to the hourly prayers that devout Catholics were expected to stop and observe multiple times daily.With the increasing availability of paper in the late Middle Ages, and the advent of printing, manuscripts went from being heavily scrolled and decorated to having only borders, only initials or other sparse embellishment, and eventually the production of illuminated manuscripts became very rare.Contemporarily, as books are more and more often mass-produced reading copies, the existence and availability of genuine, original illuminated manuscripts becomes increasingly scarce. There are countless facsimiles and reproductions, which are painstakingly created to be as beautiful as the originals.They vary in price, but many are quite affordable. Illuminated pages removed from manuscripts are often sold separately, as stand-alone art, as well.The luxury of illuminations present in a book creates another level of enjoyment; not only the information, entertainment and fascination in reading, but also the pure pleasure of beauty, art and attention to detail.







Carta Executoria de Hidalguia in favor of Juan Francisco Rodriguez





1586 - In Spanish. Illuminated manuscript. 48 Vellum leaves., One beautiful full page illumination incorporating the grantee’s arms, 36 lines written in black ink, multiple ruled red ink border, 12 headlines in blue and red lettered in liquid gold.





1586 - In Spanish. Illuminated manuscript. 48 Vellum leaves., One beautiful full page illumination incorporating the grantee’s arms, 36 lines written in black ink, multiple ruled red ink border, 12 headlines in blue and red lettered in liquid gold.

Liber Super Ethicorum Aristotelis

by Thomas Aquinas



1460-1480 - Aquinas' Commentary on the Ethics of Aristotle, in Latin, including 160 folios. The illuminated frontispiece includes an historiated initial of St. Thomas, a three-quarter floral border set in black ink trellises, two painted roundels, the monogram YHS, and a white swan. An elegant example of a Renaissance manuscript decorated in the Ferrarese style.

by Thomas Aquinas1460-1480 - Aquinas' Commentary on the Ethics of Aristotle, in Latin, including 160 folios. The illuminated frontispiece includes an historiated initial of St. Thomas, a three-quarter floral border set in black ink trellises, two painted roundels, the monogram YHS, and a white swan. An elegant example of a Renaissance manuscript decorated in the Ferrarese style.

Use of Rome

In Latin and French





1460 - A fine, especially substantial Book of Hours with lively borders. Very attractive 17th century French mottled calf, neatly rebacked reusing the original spine, raised bands, backstrip in six compartments with elaborate floral gilt decoration. In a fine fleece-lined brown morocco box with raised bands and gilt titling.





In Latin and French1460 - A fine, especially substantial Book of Hours with lively borders. Very attractive 17th century French mottled calf, neatly rebacked reusing the original spine, raised bands, backstrip in six compartments with elaborate floral gilt decoration. In a fine fleece-lined brown morocco box with raised bands and gilt titling.

Pieta - Lamentation (Descent from the Cross)



1480 - Fine Medieval miniature on vellum from a Northern French Book of Hours highlighted in gold. Upper compartment of the recto has the Pieta & Cross; it shows the cross with two men on ladders with torture instruments (one ascending and one descending the cross).





1480 - Fine Medieval miniature on vellum from a Northern French Book of Hours highlighted in gold. Upper compartment of the recto has the Pieta & Cross; it shows the cross with two men on ladders with torture instruments (one ascending and one descending the cross).

Qur'an - Western Iran or Ottoman Turkey



1600 - The large blue and gold hasps projecting into the margins from the center of the smooth border are reminiscent of Herati and Bukharan work of the 16th century. The style of illumination, decoration and calligraphy demonstrates the frequent movement of artists between artistic centers in Persia and the Ottoman Empire.





1600 - The large blue and gold hasps projecting into the margins from the center of the smooth border are reminiscent of Herati and Bukharan work of the 16th century. The style of illumination, decoration and calligraphy demonstrates the frequent movement of artists between artistic centers in Persia and the Ottoman Empire.



Grant of Arms to Gregorio de Castro by Emperor Charles V



1536 - Early and handsome example of early 16th century Spanish illumination and grant of arms; signed by the Emperor and including two large miniatures. Text is surrounded by a wide border to top and lateral margins, embodying interlacing designs, flora and fauna, with a golden background. The border and heraldic decoration are splendid examples of the Hispano-Flemish school of miniature painting.





1536 - Early and handsome example of early 16th century Spanish illumination and grant of arms; signed by the Emperor and including two large miniatures. Text is surrounded by a wide border to top and lateral margins, embodying interlacing designs, flora and fauna, with a golden background. The border and heraldic decoration are splendid examples of the Hispano-Flemish school of miniature painting.

Yusof-o Zoleiha

by Jami, Nurad-din 'Abd ar-Rahman



1793 - Persian manuscript by Muhammed Aslam with splendid title ornament and 61 miniatures. Written space ruled in blue, red, and gold, sprinkled in gilt; chapter separators decorated with flowers and ornaments, verse headings in red ink with sparse decoration. A remarkable manuscript with meticulously crafted miniatures and beautiful, finely ornamented calligraphy.





by Jami, Nurad-din 'Abd ar-Rahman1793 - Persian manuscript by Muhammed Aslam with splendid title ornament and 61 miniatures. Written space ruled in blue, red, and gold, sprinkled in gilt; chapter separators decorated with flowers and ornaments, verse headings in red ink with sparse decoration. A remarkable manuscript with meticulously crafted miniatures and beautiful, finely ornamented calligraphy.

Flemish Flower Manuscript



1630 - These manuscripts form one of the earliest known collections of images of a significant number of different varieties of tulips: at least 20 are pictured, and although they are not identified they form a rare and valuable record of the cultivars of the period. In addition to tulips, the images also include pinks, narcissi, irises, martagon lilies, roses and asters.



1630 - These manuscripts form one of the earliest known collections of images of a significant number of different varieties of tulips: at least 20 are pictured, and although they are not identified they form a rare and valuable record of the cultivars of the period. In addition to tulips, the images also include pinks, narcissi, irises, martagon lilies, roses and asters.

The Haggadah

Arthur Szyk



2008 - The new luxury limited edition of The Arthur Szyk Haggadah. Hebrew and English Text. Szyk, the greatest 20th century illuminator and —in the words of historian Cecil Roth—"the greatest illuminator since the 16th century", considered the Passover Haggadah his masterwork. The 48 miniature paintings of this luxurious fine art book are the modern culmination of medieval tradition of illuminated manuscripts.





Arthur Szyk2008 - The new luxury limited edition of The Arthur Szyk Haggadah. Hebrew and English Text. Szyk, the greatest 20th century illuminator and —in the words of historian Cecil Roth—"the greatest illuminator since the 16th century", considered the Passover Haggadah his masterwork. The 48 miniature paintings of this luxurious fine art book are the modern culmination of medieval tradition of illuminated manuscripts.

Bible in English - New Testament





1400 - Copied by a single scribe (except Ten Commandments) in red and brown ink in a highly legible and skilled textualis (textura) hand: a professional scribe. Catchwords regularly boxed in red. Unflourished paraph marks throughout text in blue; line fillers in blue and red; unflourished smaller initials throughout in blue; large pen-flourished initials throughout in blue and red; with pen-flourished sprays and bar decoration to form borders.





1400 - Copied by a single scribe (except Ten Commandments) in red and brown ink in a highly legible and skilled textualis (textura) hand: a professional scribe. Catchwords regularly boxed in red. Unflourished paraph marks throughout text in blue; line fillers in blue and red; unflourished smaller initials throughout in blue; large pen-flourished initials throughout in blue and red; with pen-flourished sprays and bar decoration to form borders.



Text from the Opening of Gospel Lessons



No date - A very fine illuminated vellum manuscript leaf with an especially beautiful miniature of Saint John on Patmos, from a book of hours in Latin and French.Featuring a superb miniature and a sumptuous border, the present John on Patmos leaf is nothing short of exquisite, and although the nine leaves from the same manuscript are all fine in their own way, this first one is the best.







A Dream of Fair Women

by Alfred Lord Tennyson



1910 - Manuscript on vellum, in disciplined calligraphic hand in black and red ink to recto and verso. Centre panel of upper board blocked in gilt in an elaborate and detailed floral design with red onlays and inset with 5 garnet cabochons and 6 turquoise cabochons. The prestigious London bindery Sangorski and Sutcliffe made a speciality of fabulous jeweled bindings.



by Alfred Lord Tennyson1910 - Manuscript on vellum, in disciplined calligraphic hand in black and red ink to recto and verso. Centre panel of upper board blocked in gilt in an elaborate and detailed floral design with red onlays and inset with 5 garnet cabochons and 6 turquoise cabochons. The prestigious London bindery Sangorski and Sutcliffe made a speciality of fabulous jeweled bindings.

A selection from the poems of Henry Longfellow



1884 - Illuminated manuscript engrossed on 12 leaves of vellum. Written in English and beautifully embellished with wide borders on each page, initials and other decorations in color and gold. Bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe in full red levant, wide inner red levant borders, gilt-tooled back and sides, extra tooled sides Legascon style, lettered on spine and center front cover, gilt edges. Preserved in a cloth slipcase.



1884 - Illuminated manuscript engrossed on 12 leaves of vellum. Written in English and beautifully embellished with wide borders on each page, initials and other decorations in color and gold. Bound by Sangorski & Sutcliffe in full red levant, wide inner red levant borders, gilt-tooled back and sides, extra tooled sides Legascon style, lettered on spine and center front cover, gilt edges. Preserved in a cloth slipcase.

Text from the Opening of the Office of the Dead



1460 - Apart from those relatively few copies with illustrated calendars, the miniatures found in Books of Hours are almost entirely devoted to retrospective Bible scenes that are obviously outside the experience of the illuminator; it is only in the present kind of funeral scene at the beginning of the Office of the Dead that we can see a contemporaneous rendering of a scene from the daily life of the Middle Ages.





1460 - Apart from those relatively few copies with illustrated calendars, the miniatures found in Books of Hours are almost entirely devoted to retrospective Bible scenes that are obviously outside the experience of the illuminator; it is only in the present kind of funeral scene at the beginning of the Office of the Dead that we can see a contemporaneous rendering of a scene from the daily life of the Middle Ages.

All the Works of John Taylor





1630 - Six volumes bound in half leather with marble paper covered boards. Exquisitely illustrated with woodcut engravings, head and tail pieces and illuminated letters. Very scarce. These volumes contain no title page and have been bound out of sequence.





1630 - Six volumes bound in half leather with marble paper covered boards. Exquisitely illustrated with woodcut engravings, head and tail pieces and illuminated letters. Very scarce. These volumes contain no title page and have been bound out of sequence.

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