BOOK OF HOURS (USE OF ROME?); illuminated manuscript on parchment in Latin

BOOK OF HOURS OF CONSIDERABLE CHARM AND MODEST PROPORTIONS REFLECTING THE EVERYDAY PIETY PRACTICED IN A FLEMISH HOUSEHOLD. Illuminated manuscript on parchment, in Latin, Southern Netherlands, Ghent or Bruges, c. 1480. Dimensions 168 x 124 mm., 105 folios, lacking one calendar leaf, written in a gothic book hand in a single column of 18 lines, rubrics in red, many one-line initials in burnished gold or blue, a number of two-line (and a handful of four- and five-line) initials, 21 LARGE INITIALS ACCOMPANIED BY BORDERS of acanthus, fruit, and burnished gold ivy leaves, EIGHT CHARMING HISTORIATED INITIALS, and FOUR FULL-PAGE MINIATURES. BINDING: Bound in modern red velvet, signed S. Wiklander (?) on rear pastedown, in a fine red morocco folding box with gilt lettering. ILLUSTRATION: This Netherlandish Book of Hours is characterized by its charm and homespun realism. It was painted by three artists: a Dutch-influenced artist painted one miniature and a historiated initial, a Flemish artist contributed the other full-page pictures, and the animated and charming historiated initials are by a third hand. PROVENANCE: The appearance in the Calendar of saints venerated in Bruges and the style of the miniatures suggests the Southern Netherlands as the origin. The border decoration can be related to Ghent manuscripts by the Master of the Flemish Boethius. The very specific initials with foliage in liquid gold on red fields are found in the same group, but also in an Antwerp Book of Hours recently sold at Christie's (12 July 2017, lot 17). For these observations we thank Dominique van Wijnsberghe. The manuscript was later in a Private Collection. CONDITION: many leaves with faint dampstain, minor rumpling (but not affecting text or illustration), some soiling, otherwise only quite minor defects; overall a very well-preserved manuscript. Full description and images available. (BOH 159)