Leaf from a Bible, France (Paris), middle or 3rd quarter of the 13th century.

Leaf from a Latin bible made in France in the 13th century. Double-sided. Written in black ink, the first letter of each verse highlighted in red. Colour pigments and ink. 53 lines of text in two columns. Running title and chapter numbers in blue and red ink. Annotated in black ink in the margins (dating from the Middle Age) and a 20th-century note in red ink below the text.
Decoration:
Recto: decorated initials "M" at the beginning of chapter 49, in blue with red and blue penwork flourishes.
Verso: decorated initials "C" at the beginning of chapter 50, in blue with red and blue penwork flourishes, and "N" at the beginning of Prologue of Isaiah, pink on a blue and gold ground, with blue and red foliated pattern in the inner part.

Text:
Vulgate Bible (Latin version of the Bible, translated from Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic by Saint Jerome): from Ecclesiasticus, 48:23 to the prologue of Isaiah "Nemo cum prophetas".

Leaf from a Latin portable bible made in France in the 13th century. This kind of bible appeared in Paris in the 1220s and contained the totality of the bible in one single volume.

Bought from R.F. Martin Esq, 9 Portman St, W, received on 22 April 1924, together with six other cuttings (CIRC.375 to 381-1924). Total price paid: £11.11.0. (Information from the Departmental Circulation Register).
Cuttings from the same manuscript in the V&A collection: Museum nos Circ.2-1924, Circ.381-1924, Circ.727-1924, Circ.860-1924, Circ.861-1924, Circ.492.1925, Circ.853-1926, and Circ.319-1927.
Cuttings from the same manuscript in other collections: Bloomington (IN), Lilly Library, 2 leaves; Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Lat. bib. c. 1, ff. 6-8.
Parent manuscript: Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Lat. bib. d. 8.

Leaf from a 13th-century Latin bible.

CIRC.381-1924