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IM-2821: (150x100 mm). Original leaf from a medieval manuscript pocket Bible with illuminations from the Johannes Grusch Atelier. Latin gothic minuscule script, ruled in red and written in brown ink, on animal vellum. Rubricated chapter numbers, initials and marginalia in red and blue. 44 lines of text in double columns (12 lines per inch!).

France: Paris, c. A.D. 1240.

The five-line historiated initial, which extends into the margin becoming a wonderful creature, portrays John dressed in an illuminated garment and holding a book. It opens The Book of I John: “Quod fuit…” (That which was from the beginning…).

Verso contains a scribal omission added in the lower left margin – this omission was to be inserted in I John 2:16 and is surrounded by a red box indicating that the “transcription had been systematically checked for accuracy” (De Hamel, Scribes and Illuminators, p. 43).

This leaf contains text from II Peter 2:14 – I John 3:7: “plenos adulterio…” (full of adultery and of sin…the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin…the Antichrist cometh…).

The book from which this leaf came was a very high-quality production, scribed in the Johannes Grusch Workshop in Paris. Other leaves from this same book were exhibited in the Jeanne Blackburn Collection at the Cleveland Art Museum (pl. 7 & 8).