framed antiphonal pages in Latin
I have a framed set of two large antiphonal pages. I have no idea who made the items. It appears to be made of hand-laid raglan paper. It does have a watermark that is difficult to see. There is some tearing that has been repaired where the pages were once bound in a book, but otherwise the item is sealed up in a double-sided glass frame and is in good condition. There are two pages with writing in Latin on both sides. There are musical notes on four staves. It also appears that two different people wrote the text. One of the pages seems to relate to the feast day for St. Joachim, while the other relates to the feast day for Saint Raphael the Archangel. The chain lines are around 30.16 mm apart. The watermark sits dead-center on one of the chain lines. I cannot find any counter marks. The watermark is on the sheet framed on the right side of the item. I have tried to do gamma inversion on the watermark to see it better; it might be this watermark featured here, though I am not certain: https://cci-icpal.cultura.gov.it/us/it/documenti/detail/1272.html The gamma image (image number 4) has been mirrored as I shined light from the back of the item initially.
17 x 11
Online Auction
Yes
Hi Grace,
Thank you for contacting Mearto with your appraisal inquiry.
The single most critical element in the value of antiphonal (choir book) pages is the quality and extent of illumination. While size, age, and condition matter, collectors primarily prize large, historiated initials with narrative scenes, rich gold leaf and strong original pigments and identifiable regional styles or workshops.
A plain chant page with text and notation has modest value, but the moment you add a fully illuminated initial—especially with figures or saints—the value rises dramatically. Provenance and intact margins help, but illumination is what transforms a leaf from a fragment of liturgical text into a highly collectible work of medieval art.
From a connoisseurship standpoint, this page has two things working against it: the text is in two different hands and it doesn't have a very complex decorative scheme.
This is probably 17th Century in age and is of a good large size; this would likely fetch a few hundred dollars if sold at auction. I don't see any elements characteristics of a specific maker.
Please let us know if you have additional items to appraise, or questions/concerns, and thank you again for using Mearto.
~ Delia
