Book of Hours, Use of Poitiers, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum, 107 leaves (plus modern vellum endleaves at front and back), wanting two bifolia from the sixth quire, collation: i12, ii-v8, vi4 (wanting 4 leaves with end of Sext and much of Nones in Hours of Virgin), vii-xii8, xiii7 (last leaf a cancelled blank), xiv4, written in single column of 17 lines of a rounded lettre bâtarde, one to 4-line initials in gold on pink and blue grounds, line-fillers in same, major text sections opening with a coloured initial enclosing a floral spray on gold grounds and borders of foliage and acanthus leaf sprays on three sides, two full-page miniatures (opening Hours of the Virgin and Seven Penitential Psalms) in arch-topped frames within borders of woody branches and coloured acanthus leaves, the second with a bird in the border, pilgrim’s badge glued to modern front flyleaf (no marks from this in the volume and so most probably a modern addition), marks to last leaves showing the volume once had a single clasp, flaking from both miniatures, first leaf quite scuffed, numerous leaves becoming transparent, water damage, cockling and small spots and stains throughout, overall fair condition, bound in padded red velvet over wooden boards, leaves 98 x 76mm., [France (probably north-west, perhaps Rennes or vicinity)], [second half of the fifteenth century].

*** Text: Calendar; Passion readings; Obsecro te; the Hours of the Virgin, with Matins, Lauds, Prime, Terce, Sext, (Nones is missing), Vespers, Compline; the Seven Penitential Psalms, followed by a Litany of Saints and prayers; and the Office of the Dead; ending with additional prayers in French and Latin in two fifteenth-century hands.

Provenance: (1) Written and decorated for a patron probably from the vicinity of Rennes: the style of the hand and decoration is rustic, the use of volume is that of nearby Poitiers, and the Calendar includes the rare local saint, Moderamnus (bishop of Rennes, d. c. 390) on 16 May. The presence of St. Theobald of Provins (d. 1066) on 1 July, whose cult centred on Provins, Sens and Auxerre to the south-east of Paris, might also suggest some form of connection to that region as well. (2) Sold in public auction by Swann Galleries of New York, 1 April 1993, lot 106, for $5500. (3) Sold by Edition Deluxe Rare Books on ebay, 18 September 2013, for $22,000.