[MANUSCRIPT / LESCLABART]. Speculum humanae... - Lot 78 - Giquello

Lot 78
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Result : 19 500EUR
[MANUSCRIPT / LESCLABART]. Speculum humanae... - Lot 78 - Giquello
[MANUSCRIPT / LESCLABART]. Speculum humanae salvationis. S.d. [ca. 1780]. In folio (328 x 242 mm) of [1] title leaf, [5] ff. and [58] pp. Red morocco, triple gilt fillet around the boards, corner fleurons, richly decorated smooth spine, double gilt fillet on the edges, gilt inner scroll (18th century binding). Splendid illustrated manuscript on large laid paper, the work of Lesclabart, one of the most famous calligraphers of the 18th century. It reproduces in pen and ink the Speculum humanae salvationis, a famous book combining typography and xylography, which was written in the early 14th century. The manuscript consists of a title page, five pages containing the preface and 58 beautiful drawings (about 197 x 105 mm) reproducing the cycle of woodcuts. Each of these figures is divided into two compartments separated by a gothic-shaped pillar; at the bottom of each compartment is a line of Latin text indicating the subject of the figure while the text of the poem is neatly calligraphed in two columns at the bottom of each figure. Grand-Carteret (Papeterie & Papetiers de l'ancien temps, p. 320) calls Lesclabart (spelled L'Eclabart) "one of the most skilful and famous [calligraphers] in Europe." He mentions his copy of the Bible of Jean Fuste, indicating: "one can consider this work as a masterpiece". A few other copies of the Speculum calligraphied by Lesclabart are known: a copy on vellum skin bound in green morocco that was part of the sale of Abbé Rive (1793, no. 16, the cataloguer states that it took Lesclabart more than a year and a half to execute this copy) as well as two others mentioned by Brunet (V, 477): Pâris sale (1790, no. 6, red morocco, 8 livres and 8 shillings) and Lair sale (1819, no. 8, 300 francs). Another copy was recently sold by the same firm in the sale of the D.C. library (Bibliophily, bibliomania... and other delights, 19 November 2021, 20.800€ with expenses). A superb copy in contemporary morocco. Small light stains on a few pages, a small marginal tear without missing a leaf, a fold to a leaf. CORRECTION : Some small pinholes and stains on the binding  Restorations to a few leaves, one of them affecting the text Ex-libris Leaton Knolls.
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