Private prayers and devotions (perhaps an imperfect Book of Hours) — 15th century, second half; Italian

Title

Private prayers and devotions (perhaps an imperfect Book of Hours) — 15th century, second half; Italian

Shelfmark

MS. Buchanan g. 4

Place of origin

Italian

Date

15th century, second half

Language

Italian

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

Parchment.

Physical extent

i (modern paper, conjoint with the pastedown) + 63 + i (modern paper, conjoint with the pastedown).

Hands

Written in gothic bookhands by three scribes: (i) fols. 3r-24v; (ii) fols. 28r-62v (using a distinctive signe-de-renvoie to supply an omission, fol. 43v); and (iii) fols. 2r-v, and 27r-v (i.e. the supply leaves; somewhat clumsy, and perhaps artificial-see e.g. the unusual abbreviation 'do(m)ine' on fol. 2r).

Decoration

Each scribe was responsible for his own headings, in red.

Two historiated initials (9- and 7-line) on inserted leaves, perhaps late 15th century, or later, each on a square gold field with foliate tendrils extending into the margins: (fol. 2r) Penitential Psalms. Initial D[omine]: a group of buildings (perhaps a monastery?), including a circular tower with three storeys, on top of which is a cross and pennant. (fol. 27r) Office of the Dead. Initial U[enite] (but shaped more like an 'O' or 'D'): group of buildings, similar in some details to those on fol. 2r. Two-line initials, alternately in blue with red penwork or red with purple penwork, the penwork extending almost the full height of the page, at the start of psalms, collects, lessons, etc.; one-line initials alternately in red or blue, at the start of verses and other minor textual divisions.

Binding

Sewn on two cords; bound in 17th/18th?-century brown leather over pasteboards; with a double gilt fillet framing the covers (largely obscured), five (or six?) similar horizontal double fillets dividing the spine (largely obscured); each cover with an applied panel of 19th-century enamelled glass (the upper panel badly cracked) with a semée of gold stars on a deep blue ground, and with gold and silver oak-leaf motifs around the edges; these panels each with an openwork gilt metal framing (originally attached with a nail in each corner; three of the nails on the upper cover are now detached) in the form of branches, foliage, flowers, and fruit(?); with a silver(?) clasp (fastening from bottom to top); the spine with a convex gilt metal panel (damaged and repaired) with fleurs-de-lis and scrolls in relief, attached with a nail at each corner; yellow wove paper flyleaves conjoint with the pastedowns; fol. 63 apparently the pastedown of a previous binding; the edges of the leaves gilt; boxed.

Acquisition

Given to the Bodleian in 1941 by his widow, Mrs. E. O. Buchanan.

Provenance

Made for an Italian-speaker named Giovanni/Iohannes (see text items 4 and 10); it is probable that the manuscript is the second half of a Book of Hours.

Unidentified owner: there is an erased ownership(?) inscription at the upper edge of fol. 1r, not legible even under UV light, probably added after the binding, since it appears to be offset onto the flyleaf, fol. i verso.

Thomas Arthur / William Ridler, London booksellers; inscribed in pencil on the upper pastedown with their characteristic price and pricecode: '£10–18-0' (the '10' altered from '11'), upper centre, with their price-code 'm/sd/-' (i.e. £8 15s), at the centre fore-edge, sloping upwards (cf. MSS. Buchanan b. 1 and d. 1).

Rt. Hon. T. R. Buchanan (1846–1911), probably bought from Arthur or Ridler after 1874)