15th Century Book of Hours with three generations of ownership and beautiful 19th Century dedication binding

15th Century Book of hours on parchment

Northern France  c. 1480–1500 with 18th Century Italian additions and 19th Century binding with dedication in Occitan.

-One full-page miniature of the Christ of Pity, painted arms, and thirteen decorative borders in three different styles

-19th-century red morocco binding with dedication in Occitan

-Small format –binding 11 x 9cm  pages 10.5 x 7.5cm

-232 pages on ruled parchment (missing at least 5 pages missing including 2 calendar leaves)

Intro:

This is a beautiful book of hours from the last quarter of 15th Century  produced in Northern France (possibly Artois). The book has evidence of ownership over several generations, with later 18th Century additions form the Alba family in Italy, and a highly personal 19th century binding inscribed in Occitan. The binding inscription describes the book as a gift on New years day 1872 with the Occitan inscription  “A year of Love of Happiness in Tuscany 1869”.

Text:

Text written in Gothica textura throughout with coloured initials of varied sizes in blue, red and gold, decorated with vine leaves. 13 decorative borders (some with wear)

Contents:

Calendar (ff 1-8) (missing 2 leaves) which includes major dates for saints and feast days (Mary Magdalene, St Denis, St Martin and St Michael), Gospel Excerpts (ff 9-12), Obsecro Te / O Intemerata, Hours of the Virgin, Penitential Psalms and Litany, Office of the Dead, Hours of the Cross, Hours of the Holy Spirit, Suffrage of the Saints.

Illustration:

-Decorated with one full page miniature of Christ standing at his sarcophagus next to the cross.  Floral and acanthal borders to 13 pages in three separate styles and likely executed  at different times.

Condition:

Wear to miniature and to some borders (see photos). Missing at least 5 leaves and 2 calendar leaves. Otherwise very good

Binding:

Beautiful full red Morocco binding with gold tooling and "ouro" to spine (Occitan for Hours). Inscription to binding in gold "A Moun Tresque Car E Ben-ama J.C.Daillan" (To my dear J.C.Daillan - New Year's day 1872 - Marshio (Marselle). The other side of the binding translates from Occitan to "In Rememberance of three years of peace, of love and of Happiness - 1869 Maiano (Tuscany)

Provenance:

-Unidentified heraldry ?Artois / Northern France

-Ownership inscription referencing Philippine d'Alba - Italy 18th Century

-19th Century owndership of J.C.Daillan (Marseille) in Occitan

Summary

A finely bound book of hours with many richly illuminated borders and a history of women's ownership across several generations and several countries. The book nicely illustrates the long and varied lives of these valuable manuscripts

£12,500