Beschreibung:

MID-15TH CENTURY CATALONIAN (?) BREVIARY, IN LATIN, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON PARCHMENT - 109 LEAVES IN 27 LINE DOUBLE COLUMNS WITH 19 LARGE INITIALS IN RED, BLUE, AND GILT DECORATION, AN ELABORATELY DECORATIVE FLOREATED OPENING LEAF AND 100'S OF SMALLER RED AND BLUE INITIALS THROUGHOUT IN AN ATTRACTIVE EARLY PANELED CALF BINDING. 6 3/4 by 5 inch manuscript breviary ca. 1450 - 1475 bound in 18th C. dark paneled calf with blind tooling and the remains of clasps -- binding rebacked and restored probably late 19th Century. Retains the bookplate of Henry White whose extensive library of early printed books, illuminated manuscripts, etc. was sold in London in the Spring of 1902 over 11 consecutive days (less the Sunday) between April 21 and May 2 by Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge. Based on paleography and on calendar evidence, created in northern Spain, specifically Catalonia (?) or very southern France. For the most part, the calendar entries are fairly unremarkable and feature saints that are commonly included on calendars across Europe. The entry for 23 October, however, is unusual: the translation of Saint Eulalia of Barcelona. Her bones were transferred to a new tomb in the Cathedral of St. Eulalia in Barcelona in 1339. While her main feast day on 12 February is celebrated more widely from Spain to Germany, her translation day is much less common, indicating a more local use to the Barcelona/Catalonia area. There isn't much in the way of double-grading in this calendar, but the fact that this feast is listed as consisting of 9 lessons shows it to be a more significant entry on the calendar. The feasts involving St. Clare and St. Francis (each indicating additional lessons) suggest that the MS may have been produced for Franciscan use. Condition: The restoration and rebacking of the binding was professionally done and though the manuscript leaves show expected wear and occasional soiling the condition throughout is generally bright and strong and excellent.