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You are here: CollectionsOnline  /  Catalogue of manuscripts, books and prints, paintings and carvings, the property of M. De Speyr Passavant, of Basle, including Biblia Sacra Latina ex versione Latina Sancti Hieronymi. Codex membranaceus sæculi VIII., scriptus manu celeberrimi Alcuini, et Carolo Magno donatus, ... which will be sold by auction by Mr. Evans, at his house, No.93, Pall-Mall, on Wednesday, April 27. 1836.
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Evans, Robert Harding, auctioneers (1778--1857). [Sale cat. 1832:03:29--04:06]
[Sale catalogue. 1836:04:27]
Catalogue of manuscripts, books and prints, paintings and carvings, the property of M. De Speyr Passavant, of Basle, including Biblia Sacra Latina ex versione Latina Sancti Hieronymi. Codex membranaceus sæculi VIII., scriptus manu celeberrimi Alcuini, et Carolo Magno donatus, ... which will be sold by auction by Mr. Evans, at his house, No.93, Pall-Mall, on Wednesday, April 27. 1836.
London (Place), printed by W. Nicol,, [1836].
[2], 9, [1] p. ; 23.0 cm. (4º)

The Bible manuscript erroneously promoted as written by Alcuin proved in fact to be the Bible of Moutier-Grandval written and decorated at the Abbey of Saint-Martin of Tours in the generation after Alcuin, between 820 and 842. Acquired by the Abbey of Moutier-Grandval in the 9th century, it remained there until the upheavals of the Reformation in 1534 and subsequently was lodged at Delémont until 1792 when in the upheavals of the French Revolution it endured vicissitudes of changing ownership. Speyr Passavant, antiquarian of Basel, acquired it in 1822 and following attempts to have it sold in various countries finally had it sold by Evans to the British Museum for £750. Its current location is: Biblia sacra latina. Saec. IX. MSS. ADD. 10.546. See Joseph Hanhart (ed.), Die grosse Bibel von Moutier Grandual, Basel, 1980.

Copy Notes Copy 1: Folded ALs from Evans, with wax seal, tipped in, dated Monday Apr. 25. Sir / I take the liberty / of enclosing you a catalogue and call- / ing your attention to the venerable & splendid Manuscript of the Holy Bible / written for the Emperor Charlemagne by / Alcuine an Englishman ... A detailed account of the Manuscript, & / a selection of the testimonials will be / found in No. 9 of the Catalogue. Knowing the / taste and spirit with which you have form / -ed your invaluable Museum & deeply impressed by the benefit you have / conferred on the Nation by it, I have // taken the liberty of pointing out this / article to you, as I should regret extremely if it were disposed of, / without your being previously / apprised of it .... Partly unopened, unannotated.
Copy 2: Unopened and unannotated.

Binding Copy 1: Stitched in original pink paper wrappers.
Copy 2: Stitched in original pink paper wrappers.

Reference Number 5358

Additional Names Speyr-Passavant, Johann Heinrich de - Library - Catalogs; British Library. Manuscript Add.105.46


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