Littera Scripta

    Member of ANZAAB - Australia

    Antique Prints Art Early Printed Leaves Ephemera Manuscripts Medieval Illuminated Manuscript Leaves

Australia's specialist dealer in medieval and renaissance documents. Original illuminated manuscript leaves, 11th to 16th centuries.

Original printed leaves, 15th to 17th centuries.

Books of Hours, Bibles, music, liturgy, secular and sacred commentary.

Occasional newsletters of new items and specials. Email me to be included in the mail-out.

Contact Information
Phone: +61 (0) 409 020 768
Website: http://litterascripta.com.au/

Highlights
The first bible printed in French.
$550
A rare incunable leaf from the first bible printed in (middle) French with woodcuts. Printed by Vérard in Paris, 1498/9 with contemporaneous colouring. The Book of Exodus. Excellent condition.
Tiny illuminated manuscript leaf from a Lady's Book of Hours.
$695
The illuminated initial 'H' is in blues, pink and greens on a ground of burnished gold, with extensions into the margin of foliate scrolls in light & dark pink, greens, blues and finished with burnished gold bezants. The text is from "The Hours of the Cross" which marked the specific times of the day associated with the stages of Christ's Passion. Italy, c.1500, size of leaf c.80x60 mm. Very good/excellent condition.
Holinshed's Chronicle leaf. One of Shakespeare's favourite history sources.
$135
A leaf from Holinshed's "Historie of Scotland", published in 1577, including a woodcut of King Alexander the Fierce watching the beheading of a thief. Text in English. Holinshed was Shakespeare's favourite and most trusted source and he used it for more than a third of his plays including Macbeth, King Lear, Cymbeline and the English history plays. Fair antiquarian condition only, but the text is complete and legible and the woodcut sharply printed.
Vellum Book of Hours leaf with panels of delicate rinceaux illuminations on both sides.
$425
Northern France, c.1480. The leaf includes a section of the beloved prayer Obsecro te (I beseech you). Fine condition, clean vellum with very pretty illuminations. Size: c.185x130 mm.
Superb miniature of St. John writing the Book of Revelation on Patmos.
$2750
Comprehensive notes accompany this outstanding and highly intriguing miniature. While the leaf clearly originates from a French mid-15th century Book of Hours, the miniature was added later - 16thC?, 17thC? Noted Cambridge scholar Dr. Christopher de Hamel calls such works "Beautiful Deceptions". "Is it a forgery, hoax, joke, illusion or work of art?", he poses. "You decide". What is not in question is the quality of the miniature, the skill of its artist and its extensive surrounding illuminations. Intriguing!
Albrecht Dürer woodcut in "The Ship of Fools" titled "Of Bad Women". 1497.
$775
A leaf from the 1497 edition by de Olpe with Dürer's woodcut perfectly complementing Brant's verse lampooning the foibles and follies of human nature. An English version of the verse reads: "In shrewdness women lead the van, Not matched are they by any men, His words she never will obey, She heeds not what he'd teach or say, For man's misfortune's often sprung, From women's loose and babbling tongue". Excellent condition on watermarked, laid paper.
Delightful, delicate penwork. Book of Hours leaf, Italy, c.1460
$330
Latin text written on vellum in a rounded gothic bookhand. Two illuminated initials on Verso and one on Recto. The initial 'U' on Recto begins the prayer "Ure ignis sancti spiritus" (Burn with the fire of the Holy Ghost.) Verso in excellent condition, Recto with some ink loss but the text remains legible. Size of leaf: c.120x85 mm.
c.1250 manuscript Parisian bible leaf, Book of Jeremiah.
$650
Written on extremely fine vellum in a precise gothic minuscule script. Heading 'IERE' (JEREMIAS) and chapter numbers in red and blue.Two illuminated initials beginning the chapters in red and blue with elaborate marginal extensions. Excellent condition. Size of leaf c.165x130 mm.