Bible historiale

Item Information

Title:
Bible historiale
Description:
A summary of the historical sections of the Old Testament with emphasis on kings and warfare.
Former owner:
Gibbs, Henry Hucks, 1819-1907
Auctioneer:
Sotheby's (Firm)
Former owner:
E.P. Goldschmidt & Co.
Date:
[ca. 1430]
Format:
Manuscripts
Books
Genre:
Illuminations
Manuscripts, Medieval--England
Manuscripts, French--England
Gothic scripts
Vellum bindings
Armorial bookplates
Insertions (Provenance)
Inscriptions
Bookplates
Location:
Boston Public Library
Rare Books Department
Collection (local):
Medieval and Early Renaissance Manuscripts (Collection of Distinction)
Subjects:
Bible. Old Testament. Abridgements
Bible. Old Testament. French
Places:
England
Extent:
340 leaves : parchment, ill. ; 196 x 135 (137 x 91) mm bound to 21 cm, in box 24 cm
Permalink:
https://ark.digitalcommonwealth.org/ark:/50959/w95086582
Terms of Use:
No known copyright restrictions.
No known restrictions on use.
Place of origin:
[England]
Language:
French
Table of Contents:
1. fol. 1-13: prologue and chapter headings, Genesis-Ruth.
2. fol. 13-44v: Genesis.
3. fol. 44v-48: Exodus (i.e. Exodus 1-2:10)
4. fol. 48-52: "Premier livre de moysen" (i.e. Exodus 2:11-4)
5. fol. 52-64: "Second livre de moysen" (i.e. Exodus 5-34)
6. fol. 64-70v: "Tiers livre de moysen" (i.e. Numbers 1-16)
7. fol. 70v-73v: "Quart livre de moysen" (i.e. Numbers 17-21)
8. fol. 73v-81v: "Quinte livre de moysen" (i.e. Numbers 22-Deuteronomy)
9. fol. 81v-92: Joshua.
10. fol. 92-114v: Judges.
11. fol. 114v-118v: Ruth.
12. fol. 119-139v: chapter headings: Samuel, Kings, Jonah.
13. fol. 139v-197: "Premier partie du premier livre des roys" (i.e. I Samuel)
14. fol. 197-234: "Second partie du premier livre des roys" (i.e. II Samuel 1-19)
15. fol. 234-251: "Second livre des roys" (i.e. II Samuel 20 - I Kings 2:11)
16. fol. 251-263: "Premier partie du tiers livre des roys" (I Kings 2:12-11)
17. fol. 263-294v: "Second partie du tiers livre des roys" (I Kings 12 - 22:11) (ends imperfectly, lacking chapters 56-59)
18. fol. 295-334: [Quart livre des roys] (II Kings 1-14) (begins imperfectly in the middle of chapter 1)
19. fol. 334-337: Jonah.
20. fol. 337-340v: "Livre de la desolacion de Jerusalem" (II Kings 15-16)
Notes:
Ms. codex.
Bibliographic record created by BPL staff based on description by Dr. Lisa Fagin Davis.
500 ‡aOrigin: Written in England in Anglo-Norman French around the year 1430; although written in French, the orthography suggests an English origin. Orthographic variants aside, the text is identical to that preserved in Paris, B.N. fr. 9562 (see S. Berger, Bible française au moyen-âge, p. 351), although the B.N. manuscript is slightly earlier and includes the prophets and New Testament. The text missing before fol. 295 is found on fol. 122v-123 of B.N. fr. 9562.
Notes (ownership):
Provenance: Effaced inscription dated 1580 on fol. 118v. 18th-century signature "Benjamin" on fol. 294v. Owned by Henry Hucks Gibbs, Lord Aldenham (1819-1907), his bookplate inside front cover and typescript notes (April 7, 1889) tipped-in at front; his sale at Sotheby's London, 22 March 1937, lot 24, to Goldschmidt; Goldschmidt catalogue 44, no. 3, two-page description bound-in at front.
Notes (acquisition):
Immediate source of acquisition: Purchased from E.P. Goldschmidt, March 1938.
Notes (citation):
Bond, W.H. Supplement to the Census of medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the United States and Canada, 207.
Notes (object):
Secundo folio: ...cham et abel.
Collation: Parchment, fol. i (modern parchment) + 340 + i (modern parchment) ; 1-14⁸ 15⁶ 16-36⁸ 37⁸⁻³ (lacking three leaves before fol. 295. In his notes tipped into the front of the volume, Gibbs records that there are only two leaves missing), 38⁸⁺¹ (fol. 305 may be a tipped-in singleton), 39-43⁸. The bifolium 176/181 is bound out of order and should be switched with 175/182; in other words, fol. 176 should precede fol. 175 and fol. 182 should precede fol. 181 ; some original signatures preserved in far outer lower corner of a few rectos. Catchwords in lower right corner, final verso of each quire. Modern arabic pencil foliation, upper outer corner of each page.
Layout: 2 columns, 32 lines. Bounding and writing lines in red plummet.
Script: Written in a gothic cursive in black ink with red rubrics.
Decoration: Gold paragraph initials throughout with purple filigree or blue with red filigree; 1-line initials in chapter lists alternating gold with purple filigree or blue with red; 2-line initials throughout in gold on blue and red or red and green panel with vines and leaves into margin, typically English color palette of pastel green and pink; 5-line historiated initials in gold and colors, similar scheme, as follows: fol. 13v (Genesis: God as Creator) -- fol. 44v (Exodus: Crowned king) -- fol. 48 ("First book of Moses": Crowned king) -- fol. 52 ("Second book of Moses": Moses) -- fol. 64 ("Third book of Moses": a group of elderly men) -- fol. 70v ("Fourth book of Moses": Moses, with horns) -- fol. 81v (Joshua: Joshua, wearing a typical Jew's hat) -- fol. 92 (Judges: Youth) -- fol. 114v (Ruth: Bearded man) -- fol. 119 (Chapter headings: Lion) -- fol. 139v ("1st part of I Kings": Crowned king) -- fol. 197 ("2nd part of I Kings": Crowned king) -- fol. 234 ("II Kings": Crowned king) -- fol. 251 ("1st part of III Kings": Crowned king) -- (fol. 263 ("2nd part of III Kings": Crowned king) -- fol. 334 (Jonah: Jonah, wearing a typical Jew's hat) -- fol. 337 ("IV Kings": Crowned king)
Binding: 20th-century vellum over boards, title written on spine in alternating red and black capitals, "LA BIBLE/ EN FRANCOYS"
Notes (bibliography):
Bibliography: "A Norman Manuscript of the Old Testament," More Books/BPL Quarterly XIV (1939): 21-22.
Notes (language):
In French.
Identifier:
06_01_018660
Call #:
RARE BKS MS q Med.76
MS 1482 (no longer used)
Barcode:
39999091846368