










PRAYERBOOK, IN LATIN AND GERMAN, decorated manuscript on paper, Germany 15th century.
Klubbat belopp | 38 448 SEK |
---|---|
Klubbas | Avslutad |
Hus | Stockholms Auktionsverk Nybrogatan 32 |
Föremålet har klubbats. |
Prayerbook, in Latin and German, decorated manuscript on paper [Germany, fifteenth century]
195 leaves (including an original endleaf at each end), rebound on guards making it
impossible to collate, but apparently complete (only two stubs visible indicating lost leaves
[these before fols. 17 and 19], but contemporary foliation complete from 2-194 [excluding
first and last leaf], suggesting these were cancelled by scribe while copying), written in single
column of 15-19 lines in a series of scrawling book and secretarial hands, capitals stroked in
red, rubrics in red or underlined in red, red underlining and simple initials, partial watermark
of the upper part of a trefoil crown topped with a cross, near-contemporary additions of other
prayers on endleaves, one small section crossed out, tiny amount of worm-damage to edges
of a few leaves, small and unimportant smudges and stains at edges in places, else good
condition, 104 by 73mm.; bound in modern brown leather over pasteboards with “Libellus
Prekum” in gilt on spine, single ties at midpoint of vertical foredge of each board.
Provenance:
Written in the fifteenth century, probably for personal use by a monastic inmate in a German
Dominican convent (note the readings towards end of volume from works of St. Thomas
Aquinas, perhaps the most important Dominican theologian of the Middle Ages, and Albertus
Magnus, the foremost German Dominican philosopher). Apparently remaining in that
institution until the Secularisation (note Early-Modern title and apparent shelfmark: “Libellus
precum” and “9” on front endleaf and fol. 2), when the book appears to have entered the
German market (tiny traces now of a clipping from a German sale catalogue of the decades
around 1900 on fol. 195r). Most probably then acquired by a Swedish collector, and
subsequently rebound by Otto Schoultz (1856-1921) of Göteborg (his label pasted at foot of
backboard).
Text:
This is a large collection of monastic prayers to Christ, the Virgin, John the Baptist and other
subjects, interspersed with short devotional texts including indulgences. A verse prayer,
opening “In mei sunt memoria Ihesu pie signacula …” is found on fols. 51v-55r, and another
verse addressing St. Ursula and her associates, opening “O rubentes celi rose …” appears on
fols. 75v-76v, with other verse material at the end of the volume. The Stabat mater occurs on
fols. 82r-83r, the Obsecro te on fols. 144v-146v and the O intemerata on fols. 182v-185r, and
a notably spiky hand added a series of prayers in German on fols. 137r-140r, these opening
“Genangen und verraden verspuen und versmaet gegeysselt …”.
With our thanks to Dr Timothy Bolton for assistance in the cataloguing of this lot.
See catalogue text.