Details
TERENTIUS AFER, Publius (185-159 B.C.). Comoediae. In Latin, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM. [Florence?, second quarter of the 15th century].
244 x 159mmm, 117 leaves, COMPLETE, collation: 18 (first blank 1/1 cancelled) 2-38 48 (blank 4/8 cancelled) 5-148 158 (final blank 15/8 cancelled), old ink foliation, catchwords at the end of each quire, ruled in plummet, justification: 177 x 99mm, written in brown ink in a very regular gothic rotunda bookhand, which shows strong humanist influence, two-line blue initials throughout, 7 LARGE INITIALS IN BURNISHED GOLD, 3- to 5-line, with white vine decoration in-filled with green and pink on blue ground, contemporary notes, regarding actors and stage directions added in a humanist cursive hand, two lines of text on folio 30 cancelled, marked 'vacant' and showing a wolf swallowing them. (Lower blank margins of 5 leaves cut away and skilfully replaced, unobtrusive wormhole in last leaves.) 18th-century red morocco gilt, spine gilt within 6 compartments, blue morocco label (label rubbed), edges gilt. GENERALLY A FINE COPY.
PROVENANCE:
William Ewart Gladstone, prime minister, with the booklabel of Hawarden Castle Library. Sold by his descendant Sir William Gladstone in our rooms, 8 December 1982, lot 121.
244 x 159mmm, 117 leaves, COMPLETE, collation: 18 (first blank 1/1 cancelled) 2-38 48 (blank 4/8 cancelled) 5-148 158 (final blank 15/8 cancelled), old ink foliation, catchwords at the end of each quire, ruled in plummet, justification: 177 x 99mm, written in brown ink in a very regular gothic rotunda bookhand, which shows strong humanist influence, two-line blue initials throughout, 7 LARGE INITIALS IN BURNISHED GOLD, 3- to 5-line, with white vine decoration in-filled with green and pink on blue ground, contemporary notes, regarding actors and stage directions added in a humanist cursive hand, two lines of text on folio 30 cancelled, marked 'vacant' and showing a wolf swallowing them. (Lower blank margins of 5 leaves cut away and skilfully replaced, unobtrusive wormhole in last leaves.) 18th-century red morocco gilt, spine gilt within 6 compartments, blue morocco label (label rubbed), edges gilt. GENERALLY A FINE COPY.
PROVENANCE:
William Ewart Gladstone, prime minister, with the booklabel of Hawarden Castle Library. Sold by his descendant Sir William Gladstone in our rooms, 8 December 1982, lot 121.