Shelfmark
MS 140
Author
Uniform title
[Geographia. Latin]
Title
Claudius Ptolomaeus, Cosmographia. manuscript
Varying form of title
Title in M. R. James catalogue: Cl. Ptolomaei Cosmographia Latine
Publication, distribution, etc.
Italy, ca. 1475-ca. 1500.
Physical description
1 volume (iv, 139 leaves) : parchment, illustrated ; 28 x 21 cm.
Note
Ptolemy's Geography in the Latin translation by Jacopo d'Angelo, printed in 1475 and later.
Note
The text begins on f. 1v; book 2, f. 12; book 3, f. 37v; book 4, f. 61; book 5, f. 78; book 6, f. 100v; book 7, f. 114v; book 8, f. 127.
Note
Eleven paragraphs on ff. 12v-16, the first beginning "Quod qui gentes subiacent" and the last ending "parti contraria. finis" are headed "Hoc quod scriptum est inferius non est de opere ptholemei".
Note
On the recto of f. 1 there is a miniature (described below) and a table of chapters of book 1, and each of books 2-8 is preceded by a table.
Note
Folios 138v-139v are blank.
Note
Folios iii, iv are medieval binding leaves, pastedown and flyleaf.
Note
Written space: 200 x 135 mm.
Note
38 long lines.
Note
The first line of writing above the top ruled line.
Note
Collation: 1¹⁰ 2¹⁰ +1 leaf before 1 (f. 11) 3⁸ 4-7¹⁰ 8⁸ 9-13¹⁰ 14¹⁰ +2 leaves after 9 (ff. 137, 138): 10 (f. 139) was pasted down.
Note
Humanistic script.
Note
On f. 1, a 19-line miniature in a gold frame (95 x 135 mm) of Ptolemy holding a planisphere and giving his book to a turbaned king.
Note
The miniature is described by M. R. James as cited in the references below, and by J. J. G. Alexander, 'Notes on some Veneto-Paduan illuminated books in the Renaissance', Arte Veneta, 23 (1969), pp. 9-20 including a reduced facsimile, and attributed by him to Leonardo Bellini.
Note
Border of green and pink interlace and gold in the margins of f. 1, and a floral border in one margin of the pages with the initials of books.
Note
Initials of books, 8-line or less, gold on blue grounds patterned in white and decorated in green or pink; 3- or 4-line initials are similar, except that at first pink alternates with blue as the colour for the ground.
Note
Secundo folio: de his.
Note
Rebound at Eton around 1720.
Note
Written in Italy, probably Veneto.
Note
At the foot of f. 1, cherubs support a wreath containing the arms of Molini of Rovigo, per fess a wheel gules and argent countercharged (Rietstap, pl. CCXXIV).
Note
Former Eton shelfmark: Bl.4.13.
Note
This catalogue record is based on the work of Neil Ker and M.R. James, as cited in the references below.
Citation/references note
Ker, N. R.. Medieval manuscripts in British libraries, v. 2 (1977), p. 758-759
Citation/references note
James, M. R. A descriptive catalogue of the manuscripts in the library of Eton College (1895), 140
Citation/references note
Bernard, Catalogi librorum manuscriptorum Angliae et Hiberniae, 1697, 107
Citation/references note
Thorndike and Kibre
Cite as
Eton College Library, MS 140
Provenance
No doubt bequeathed to Eton by Sir Henry Wotton in 1639.
Provenance
Presumably written for and owned by the Molini family of Rovigo.
Binding
18th century English calf binding by Slatter, retaining endleaves from an earlier binding.
Subject
Ptolemy, 2nd cent - ? Geographia. Latin
Subject
Geography, Ancient Manuscripts.
Added entry--name
D'Angelo, Jacopo translator.
Added entry--name
Wotton, Henry (), 1568 - 1639 Sir former owner.
Added entry--name
Slatter, John, active 1693 - 1721 bookbinder.
Added entry--name
Bellini, Leonardo, fl. 1443 - 1483 illuminator.
Added entry--place
Italy Veneto.
Language code
lat grc
Identifier
B50102