Large fragment from a bifolium of a Glossed Bible.
[Paris], c. 1200.
Folio (335 x 220 mm.). [4]p. MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM. In a single Gothic hand (textualis libraria) in brown ink, in two to six columns and 21 to 42 lines per page, writing frame 210 x 145 mm., ruled in drypoint, three-line penwork initial, paragraph marks and running headers in red and blue inks (blue faded).
Compiled in the early 12th century at the cathedral school at Laon, the Glossa ordinaria quickly became THE FOUNDATIONAL TEXT OF BIBLICAL EXEGESIS IN THE LATIN WEST: “by 1200, copies of the Gloss were in practically every library in Europe” (De Hamel). This fragment includes portions of the gloss to 1 Kings Chapters 7 and 8, likely compiled by Gilbert the Universal (d. 1134), who studied with Anselm of Laon (d. 1117) before becoming bishop of London in 1128.
The first leaf contains the text of 1 Kings 7: 23-25, written in a larger size and mostly squeezed into a narrow column to the left of both text blocks. The gloss, two lines of which correspond to one line of the biblical text, is in ten separate sections carefully distributed on the page so that they are adjacent to the scriptural passage commented upon. The two gloss sections that continue from recto to verso are marked with MATCHING TIE-MARKS TO AID THE READER. The gloss on the second leaf, in five sections, accompanies the text of 1 Kings 8: 65-66 (on the recto). The text of 1 Kings 9: 1-9 follows, extending from recto to verso, without gloss.
Some four centuries after its production, this bifolium was removed from its codicological context, folded inside out and wrapped around the boards of a German account book, whose title is still visible on the recto of the second leaf: Urbarien über Bestreiten. The vellum portion once covering the spine bears the docketing numbers 40 and II, suggesting the account book was part of a series.
In nice condition (the surface constituting the outer side of the binding worn and rubbed, minor worm damage affecting a dozen letters).
Price: $4,200.00