Illuminated manuscripts to fetch up to 16m pounds at London auction
By ANIThursday, March 25, 2010
LONDON - A collection of illuminated manuscripts previously belonging to kings, bishops and the aristocracy has been estimated to fetch up to 16 million pounds when it goes under the hammer in London.
The Arcana Collection: Exceptional Illuminated Manuscripts And Incunabula will go on sale in July by Christie’s, who described it as the most valuable of its kind ever to be offered to bidders.
The “outstanding” private collection was said to include the personal prayerbooks of King Francois I of France and Elizabeth de Bohun, great-grandmother of King Henry V of England, The Telegraph reported.
Margaret Ford, head of books and manuscripts at the London auction house, said: “This is a truly exceptional collection… They are masterpieces of medieval and Renaissance art, many commissioned by important patrons.
“Books Of Hours are among the most personal artworks. Used for private devotion, they were also intended to reflect the wealth and status of the owner and leading artists and craftsmen were engaged in their creation.
“The Arcana collection offers the best examples of their type, ranging from Books Of Hours to works of literature and on the natural world.
“The beauty of the page is often complemented by the importance of the text, exceptional, original condition, and interesting, even highly distinguished, subsequent ownership.” (ANI)
