ILLUMINATED

Two sprightly illustrations - bright, fresh and detailed - in vibrant colours (cobalt blue, light blue, pink, red purple, black, green), each with the background painted in gilt. The illustrations would appear to be genuine, but may be copies. Each is on a rectangle of vellum, and both are remarkably clean if indeed seven or eight centuries old. Each has traces of glue from previous mounting on the reverse. No text or other design on either side of the pieces. Both have ‘MISSAL RHEIMS’ in pencil above the illustration, and ‘1ST VELLUM’ at foot. ONE: On 7.5 x 12 cm piece of vellum.

v + [65] pp., 4to, paginated 67-131. With 49 collotype plates. Internally in good condition, lightly aged and worn, in worn binding. National Book League Library bookplate on reverse of title-leaf, and traces of the NBLL bookplate. A careful catalogue of the second portion of the sale of Thompson's sumptuous collection of manuscripts (the first portion having been sold by Sotheby's on 3 June 1920), with a two-page introductory note ('Preliminary') by him. The collection had previously been catalogued in four volumes by M. R. James and others.

Two pages, 8vo, fold mark (stained), mainly good, text clear and complete. "My dear Mr. Adams, | Once more I hoped to be able to present to you as my Christmas present my forthcoming book (The Illuminated Book [underlined]). Unfortunately, its pubication has been postponed till Febr. 1958. | Hence, I cannot but send to you my warmest greeetings & my best wishes of A MERRY CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY 1958. | I do hope to be able to meet you somewhere in London. I am aware that you have given up active studio-work, but I do not know whether you still have connections with your fromer studio in London.

1p., small 4to. In fair condition, on lightly-aged and creased paper, with slight loss to one corner. Docketed by Clarabut at the head of the page: 'Re book of hours Christie lot 194 8.xii.58'. He thanks Clarabut for 'the solution of the bookplate', and asks him if he knows 'how & when that library was sold', as it would be 'interesting to note'. 'When at the Hague I'll see in my catalogue-list if I find anything on the name of Bateman.'

The six vols are uniformly octavo, in original blue cloth gilt. Good, on lightly-aged paper. In worn, spotted binding, with gilt on spine dulled. Each volume opens with several leaves of advertisements for dealers (ranging from Maggs and Quaritch to James Tregaskis and Frank Hollings) and a preface by the editor (that of 1918 describing as the 'outstanding features of the past season [...] the two sales of the Alfred Morrison Collection and the two 'Red Cross' sales'). Still a valuable reference tool, with many of the entries including a precis of the item or quotation from it.