[Antiphonal. France.] 18th-century Manuscript Book of Catholic Choir Music. [Tours, completed in 1729.] [99] vellum leaves with staves ruled in red, musical notes and Latin lyrics written in black, initials and titles written in red, and occasional Latin commentary written in red and black. Additional music written on both sides of rear free endpaper. Paginated beginning on leaf [27], with several errors in pagination. There is no title-leaf; if one was once present physical evidence suggests it was removed long ago. Contemporary leather covered boards, backed in vellum, in somewhat later red velvet chemise. The chemise is affixed to the insides of the covers under pasted-down endsheets. Edges stained red. 17 x 11 cm. Small area of four pages with old water damage resulting in slight loss or blurring of text and music. Leaves are otherwise in good or better condition with faint soiling and occasional minor damping, a few marginal defects not approaching text, and one leaf with short, clean cut with no loss of text. Chemise is torn and chipped along most of the length of the spine; joints of vellum binding are split and spine panel is nearly detached; front board is nearly detached and holding by a single cord; rear board is holding by several cords.
Inscription on verso of leaf [26]: “Ce livre appartient a M. Prudhome Prevost de Lèree et chanoinne de l’Eglise saint Martin de Tours. 1729.” Inscription on verso of leaf [77] refers to St. Martin of Tours with a coat of arms drawn in red. Final page of text is dated Aug. 31, 1729. Later ownership inscription dated 1788 on verso of leaf [91].
The Basilica of St. Martin dates from the 5th century. The church was destroyed during the French Revolution. The modern church of the same name at this site was completed in 1925 and is of almost entirely new construction.
This antiphonal was listed in “Catalogue des Livres . . . et des Manuscript Anciens . . . Composant la Bibliotheque M. Victor Luzarche,” (J. Boulland, auctioneer, assisted by A. Claudin, Paris: Claudin, 1868), no. 83. The catalog description listed 190 pages but the work described otherwise corresponds to the present volume and Prevost’s ownership inscription is quoted verbatim as it appears here. (Click here for a link to a digital copy of the catalog.)
It was sold again by Anderson Galleries in 1912 and listed in their catalog, “Rare Books Illuminated Manuscripts Prints and Autographs, the Collection of a Merchant of Old New York. Part 1. Monday and Tuesday, December 9 and 10, 1912,” no. 364 (entry not seen). $750
Inscription on verso of leaf [26]: “Ce livre appartient a M. Prudhome Prevost de Lèree et chanoinne de l’Eglise saint Martin de Tours. 1729.” Inscription on verso of leaf [77] refers to St. Martin of Tours with a coat of arms drawn in red. Final page of text is dated Aug. 31, 1729. Later ownership inscription dated 1788 on verso of leaf [91].
The Basilica of St. Martin dates from the 5th century. The church was destroyed during the French Revolution. The modern church of the same name at this site was completed in 1925 and is of almost entirely new construction.
This antiphonal was listed in “Catalogue des Livres . . . et des Manuscript Anciens . . . Composant la Bibliotheque M. Victor Luzarche,” (J. Boulland, auctioneer, assisted by A. Claudin, Paris: Claudin, 1868), no. 83. The catalog description listed 190 pages but the work described otherwise corresponds to the present volume and Prevost’s ownership inscription is quoted verbatim as it appears here. (Click here for a link to a digital copy of the catalog.)
It was sold again by Anderson Galleries in 1912 and listed in their catalog, “Rare Books Illuminated Manuscripts Prints and Autographs, the Collection of a Merchant of Old New York. Part 1. Monday and Tuesday, December 9 and 10, 1912,” no. 364 (entry not seen). $750
