THREE CONSECUTIVE EARLY 16TH-CENTURY PRINTED VELLUM LEAVES
LATIN CISTERCIAN MISSAL – MARIAN MASSES – PARIS, PROBABLY 1515
RED & BLACK GOTHIC PRINTING – REMAINS OF ILLUMINATION

An unusual group of three consecutive leaves / six printed pages from an early 16th-century Latin liturgical Missal, printed in red and black on vellum or parchment in two columns.

The leaves are apparently from a Cistercian Missal and probably from the folio edition of the Missale completissimum ad usum Cisterciensis ordinis, printed in Paris in 1515, although the precise edition has not been conclusively established.

The documented 1515 edition was printed in Paris by Wolfgang Hopyl, associated with Thielman Kerver, for Enguilbert de Marnef and Geoffroy de Marnef, and is recorded as a large folio Cistercian Missal.

The attribution should therefore be regarded as probable rather than definitive.

---

CONTENT

The surviving leaves contain a particularly interesting sequence of Marian Masses and devotions, with prominent printed rubrics including:

De conceptione beate marie virginis
Mass of the Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

De visitatione beate marie virginis
Mass of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

De compassione marie

De compassione beate marie virginis
Mass of the Compassion of the Blessed Virgin Mary

and:

Missa alia de compassione beate marie virginis

The preceding text also includes Missa penar[um] Iesu Christi, the Mass relating to the sufferings of Christ.

Particularly interesting is the rubric for another Mass of the Compassion of the Virgin which states that it was celebrated:

“…tanquam totum duplex sabbato post dominicam Quasimodo…”

that is, on the Saturday following Quasimodo/Low Sunday.

Other surviving text includes the distinctive Marian Gradual beginning:

“Qualis est dilecta nostra charissima…”

together with Biblical lessons, Gospel readings, Introits, Graduals, Offertories, Secrets, Communions and Collects.

Internal references include folio 290, 324, 388 and 389, potentially useful in determining the exact edition.

---

PRINTING & FORMAT

Printed in Latin in a substantial Gothic liturgical type, in two columns, with extensive red rubrication, large red initials and black text.

Approximate leaf size:
366 × 245 mm

Column width:
approximately 86 mm each

Combined weight of the three leaves:
approximately 157 g

The leaves are numbered 404, 405 and 406 at upper right and form a continuous textual sequence.

The large dimensions are consistent with a substantial folio altar Missal.

The 1515 Missale completissimum ad usum Cisterciensis ordinis is bibliographically recorded as an in-folio edition, printed in Paris on 17 April 1515.

Its bibliographical description records Gothic types, various sizes of initials and woodcut illustration.

---

ILLUMINATION & EXCISIONS

All three leaves have unfortunately suffered substantial irregular excisions from the printed area.

These cuts appear very likely to have been made deliberately to remove larger decorated or illuminated initials.

This interpretation is particularly suggested by the shape and placement of the missing portions and, importantly, by surviving traces of coloured decoration alongside at least one excision, including blue pigment.

The cutting was not neatly executed and in places has removed surrounding printed text.

Despite this unfortunate damage, a substantial proportion of the original printed text survives and the three leaves remain particularly interesting as a consecutive group.

A surviving copy of the 1515 Cistercian Missal is catalogued as rubricated and containing ornamented illuminated letters, demonstrating that copies of the edition could receive illumination.

---

ATTRIBUTION

Research suggests that these leaves are probably from a Cistercian rather than a standard post-Tridentine Roman Missal.

A particularly plausible parent edition is:

Missale completissimum ad usum Cisterciensis ordinis
Paris, 17 April 1515
Wolfgang Hopyl / Thielman Kerver / the Marnef brothers

The Bibliothèque nationale de France records the edition as a folio Cistercian Missal.

PLEASE NOTE: This attribution has not yet been confirmed by direct leaf-for-leaf comparison with a complete copy, and the leaves are therefore offered as apparently/probably from this edition, rather than with an unconditional attribution.

They are not being described as incunable leaves.

---

CONDITION

Substantial defects, as photographed.

All three leaves have large irregular sections cut from the lower portions of the printed areas, apparently where decorated or illuminated initials were formerly situated.

Associated loss of printed text.

Remaining vellum/parchment generally attractive for its age, with expected handling, slight marking, natural variation and occasional surface imperfections.

Red and black printing remains strong and visually impressive.

Please inspect all photographs carefully as these form an important part of the condition description.

The three consecutive leaves are offered together and will not be separated.

---

A fascinating survival from the early age of European liturgical printing, particularly interesting for the combination of printing on vellum, two-colour Gothic typography, Marian liturgy, probable Cistercian use and physical evidence for subsequently removed illumination.

Provenance: 

From the collection of a long established Richmond-upon-Thames resident, focusing on 17th to 19th century trade ephemera, theatre handbills and Acts of Parliament.