Penn in Hand: Selected Manuscripts

[Medical and astronomical miscellany] [manuscript].

[Germany, circa 1446]

36 leaves : paper, col. ill. ; 294 x 210 (205 x 132-142) mm. bound to 300 x 220 mm.

Latin and German (lower Alemannic with middle German idioms).

Compilation of Latin and German texts concerning astronomy, astrology (including resources for the determination of favorable and unfavorable days and a brief treatise on the astrological properties of precious stones attributed in the manuscript to the 8th/9th-century Jewish astrologer Zaël, but also known as the lapidary of Techel), and medicine (including a brief treatise on wine used for medical purposes, attributed in another manuscript to Albertus Magnus).

1. f.1r-1v: [Circular diagrams of the celestial spheres and the directions]

2. f.2r-7v: [Calendar]

3. f.8r-11v: [Astrological and astronomical tables and diagrams]

4. f.12r-22v: [Treatise in German on favorable and unfavorable days for various activities]

5. f.23r-25r: De urina.

6. f.25v-26r: [Treatise in German on bloodletting]

7. f.26v-28r: In dem Lentzen.

8. f.28v: Dies periculosi.

9. f.29r-29v: [Latin treatise on veins]

10. f.30r-32r: De proprietatibus vini / [elsewhere attributed to Albertus Magnus]

11. f.32v-36v: Libellus magnus atque preciosus ... sigillorum / Cheel [Zaël]

Formerly owned by Nicolas-Antoine Labbey-de-Billy (1753-1825, stamp, Ex bibliotheca Billiana, f. 1r); sold as part of that collection in Besançon, 1 May 1826.

Sold at auction at Ader, Picard, Tajan, 19 May 1976, lot 44.

Sold at auction at Sotheby's, 22 June 1982, lot 61.

Appeared in the catalog Illumination and the word, issued by Roth Horowitz, Ferrini & Biondi in cooperation with Jörn Günther, Jul. 26-Aug. 23, 2002, no. 6.

Appeared in the catalog Princely magnificence: an exhibition of illuminated manuscripts and printed books from the 13th to the 16th century, issued by Ursus Books Ltd. (New York) in cooperation with Jörn Günther, 1997, no. 12.

Appeared in Jörn Günther's cat. 5 (1997), no. 21.

Appeared in Sam Fogg's catalog, 30 Apr. 2003; sold to Lawrence J. Schoenberg, May 2003.

Deposit by Lawrence J. Schoenberg and Barbara Brizdle, 2011.

Albertus, Magnus, Saint, 1193?-1280, attributed name.

Zaël, attributed name.

Labbey-de-Billy, Nicolas-Antoine, former owner.

Astrology - Early works to 1800.

Medical astrology - Early works to 1800.

Urine - Analysis - Early works to 1800.

Wine - Therapeutic use - Early works to 1800.

Precious stones - Early works to 1800.

Codices.

Almanacs.

Calendars.

Diagrams.

Illuminations.

Pen-and-wash drawings.

Tables (documents)

Treatises.

Manuscripts, Latin - 15th century.

Manuscripts, German - 15th century.

Manuscripts, Renaissance.

Ms. codex.

Title supplied by cataloger.

Foliation: Paper, i (later paper) + 36 + i (later paper); [1-36]; 1¹²(-12) 2-3¹² 4²(-2); modern foliation in pencil, upper right recto.

Layout: Written in 36-42 long lines (f. 2r-23v, 26v-28r) or lines in 2 columns (f. 24r-26r, 28v-36v); frame-ruled in faint ink.

Script: Written in bâtarde script.

Decoration: 36 miniatures in ink with colored washes, 8 to 30 lines in height, including calendar miniatures of the labors of the months (f. 2r-7v), astrological images (f. 12r-21v), and medical illustrations (f. 23v, 26v-28r); 13 circular diagrams (f. 1r-1v, 9r-11v), some with color; 1 7-line initial in red ink with flourishing in green (f. 12r); rubrics and paragraph marks in red, initials touched with red.

Watermark: Similar to Briquet Tête de boeuf 14964 (1444) and 15054 (1441).

Binding: Contemporary parchment, restored.

Origin: Written in southwestern Germany, ca. 1446.

Described in Transformation of knowledge: early manuscripts from the collection of Lawrence J. Schoenberg (London: Paul Holberton, 2006), p. 70, 72 (LJS 449).

Oversize LJS 449

Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts University of Pennsylvania Oversize LJS 449