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153 - Middle Ages Fragment of a Latin breviary containing texts fr…
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Estimate €1,000 - €1,500
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Description
Middle Ages Fragment of a Latin breviary containing texts from the legend of Saint Cecilia and a homily by Bede. Manuscript in red and black on parchment. 28 lines. Text area approx. 6.5 x 9.5 cm, sheet size approx. 9 x 12.5 cm. Gothic Textualis in two sizes, dark brown ink, rubrics in red. Double leaf, pages. Reused as binding waste, with rectangular cut-outs for the spine recesses of an early modern binding. Trimmed on one side, stained, worm-eaten, with text loss. Northern France, Upper German region, c. 1270–1330. Provenance: Estate of a bookbinder. – Fragment of waste paper from a book cover. – Palaeography: Gothic Textualis in dark brown ink, in two sizes of script. The script is regular, compressed at the sides and angular, with broken stems, looped ascenders and emphasised, closely set minimes. These features characterise the northern Textualis and distinguish it from the rounder Rotunda of Italy and southern Europe. Numerous abbreviations, rubrics, Lombard marks and paragraph marks in red. Minor insertions in Notula. The script, small format and decoration suggest a date of origin north of the Alps, most likely in northern France or the Upper German region, around 1300. Regarding the content: It preserves liturgical readings from the *Passio* of Saint Cecilia, including passages concerning Valerianus, the antiphon ‘*Cantantibus organis*’ and the prayer ‘*Domine Iesu Christe, seminator casti consilii*’. In between is a substantial section of Bede’s Homily LXXI, ‘In solemnitate Omnium Sanctorum’. The sequence of the Passio of Saint Cecilia and Bede’s homily corresponds to the order of the November sanctoral (All Saints’ Day to Saint Cecilia) and suggests a breviary with a complete proper of saints. – Saint Cecilia is one of the most venerated Roman martyrs. She has been venerated since the early Middle Ages as the patron saint of music, virginity and spiritual marriage. Her *Passio* is partly apocryphal, but was widely circulated and found its way into liturgical use by the 9th century. Bede’s homilies (c. 673–735), particularly those for the major feasts, remained standard readings in monastic communities for centuries. The presence of both texts in this fragment suggests a breviary or homily book compiled for a community with a particular devotion to Saint Cecilia and access to Bede’s homilies. Middle Ages. – Bifolium fragment of a Latin breviary containing texts from the legend of Saint Cecilia and a homily by Bede. Manuscript in red and black on vellum. 28 lines. Written space approx. 6.5 x 9.5 cm, leaf size approx. 9 x 12.5 cm. Gothic textualis in two sizes, dark brown ink, rubrics in red. Bifolium, number of pages missing. Reused as binding waste, with rectangular cut-outs for the stitching slots of an early modern binding. Trimmed on one side, stained, worm-eaten, with losses to the text. Northern France or the Upper German region, c. 1270–1330. Provenance: Estate of a bookbinder. Fragment of binding waste from a bookbinding. Palaeography: Gothic textualis in dark brown ink, in two sizes. The script is regular, laterally compressed and angular, with broken stems, looped ascenders and emphatic, closely set minims. These features characterise northern textualis and distinguish it from the rounder rotunda of Italy and southern Europe. Numerous abbreviations, rubrics, Lombardic initials and paragraph marks in red. Smaller insertions in notula. The script, the small format and the decoration suggest production north of the Alps, most likely in northern France or the Upper German region, around 1300. Content: The fragment contains liturgical readings from the Passio of Saint Cecilia, including passages concerning Valerian, the antiphon ‘Cantantibus organis’ and the prayer ‘Domine Iesu Christe, seminator casti consilii’. Between them lies a larger section of Bede’s Homily LXXI, *In solemnitate Omnium Sanctorum*. The sequence of the *Passio* of Saint Cecilia and Bede’s homily corresponds to the order of the November *sanctorale* (from All Saints’ Day to Saint Cecilia) and points to a breviary containing a complete proper of saints. Cecilia is one of the most venerated Roman martyrs. From the early Middle Ages, she was revered as the patron saint of music, virginity and spiritual marriage. Her Passio is partly apocryphal but was widely circulated and had entered liturgical use by the 9th century. Bede’s homilies (c. 673–735), particularly those for the major feasts, remained standard readings in monastic communities for centuries. This lot is subject to standard tax. A 24.95% buyer’s premium is payable on the hammer price, and 7% (Books and Art) or 19% VAT (Manuscripts, Screenprints, Offset Prints, Photographs) is payable on the final invoice amount within the European Union. This lot is subject to standard taxation. A 24.95% buyer’s premium applies to the hammer price, and 7% (books and art) or 19% VAT (manuscripts, screen prints, offset prints and photographs) applies to the final invoice amount within the European Union.
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About the sale Valuable books, prints, historical photographs
Auction location
Auction time 10/24/2026 at 10:00 AM
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