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Original leaf from a medieval manuscript Psalter. 20 lines of ruled Latin text, written with black ink on animal vellum in double columns. England, c. 1300-25 - nearly 700 years old!

Ex-collection Otto Ege (1888-1951): Dean of Cleveland Institute of Art & Lecturer on History of the Book at Western Reserve University & Northwestern University. Ege increased awareness of the history of the book through the dissemination of individual pages to schools, libraries, calligraphers, & printers. (Ege portfolio described this leaf as c. 1285 - It is currently believed to be c. 1300-25 - ref: Gwara HL17)

Wonderful whimsical creatures in lower margins (verso), extending from the center margin decoration - a bird in lower left and a grotesque lower right, in red, blue and pink. One two-line illuminated initial in pink with an interior floral design on burnished gold, on a blue ground; nineteen one-line illuminated initials in burnished gold on blue and pink ground with delicate white penwork - many extending into the margin with a floral design in red, burnished gold and silver, blue and green; ten illuminated line-extenders in burnished gold and silver, blue, and pink.

The one-line illuminated ''S'' begins Psalm 103 (King James 104) 16-35: ''Saturabuntur...'' (The trees of the field shall be filled and the cedars of Libanus which he hath planted: there the sparrows shall make their nests...). The two-line illuminated ''C'' opens Psalm 104 (KJ 105): "Confitemini..." (Give glory to the Lord...).