Leaf from the Dominican ‘Saint-Jacques’ Bible concordance, in Latin

Leaf from the Dominican ‘Saint-Jacques’ Bible concordance, in Latin, decorated manuscript on vellum, [France, early fourteenth century], single large leaf, with text in three columns of 55 lines of a rounded gothic bookhand, red and pale blue paraph marks and small initials, running titles (“In”) in same, line-prickings remaining suggesting leaf not cut down, some stains to edges and small folds and spots, else in excellent condition, 460 x 311mm. *** This concordance was produced by the Dominicans of St. Jacques in Paris, initially under the direction of Hugh of St. Cher by 1239, and then later producing two further editions in the later decades of the thirteenth century. This concordance formed the basis of almost all subsequent concordances to the Bible and is one of the most important contributions of the Dominicans to biblical scholarship. Each headword is followed by the places in the text where the word occurs, plus short quotations, in a format invented by its compilers (see M.A and R.H. Rouse, Authentic Witnesses: Approaches to Medieval Texts and Manuscripts, 1991, pp. 224-25, for discussion of the text). The opening leaf from the same parent manuscript was sold in Stockholms Auktionsverk on 7 December 2018, lot 6165, and another leaf was sold in our rooms, 3 December 2025 (lot 25).

Estimate:$1,069.96

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