- 2 Frassetto Way - Lincoln Park, NJ 07035
The Peter Benchley Collection: Jaws, A Life of Writing, A Legacy of Stories
Lot 76:
Description
Anonymous (French, 13th Century). Vellum illuminated manuscript leaf from a Latin Bible with text from the Book of Samuel. The page is executed in a dense Gothic textualis script in black ink across two columns. The illumination consists of an elongated vertical border in blue and burnished gold leaf that extends into the margins with stylized foliate and bud terminals. Small flourished initials in alternating red and blue ink are interspersed throughout the text. The top margin of the recto displays the Lombardic header REGA in alternating red and blue ink with gold leaf, while the verso displays I SAM. The leaf is housed in a double-sided gilt wood frame with a cream mat, allowing for the examination of both sides of the vellum. A printed label at the base of the mat identifies the piece as a 13th-century Bible leaf from France. Unsigned. Frame: 16" H x 11 5/8" W x 3/4" D.
Documents from the age of exploration that Peter kept within arm’s reach. Many of the wrecks he dove in Bermuda and the Caribbean were Spanish ships, and he liked to hold paper signed by the monarchs who sent them. Peter wrote about people who went looking for what lay beyond the horizon, and these were a daily spark for the stories.
From the personal collection of Peter Benchley (American, 1940–2006), acclaimed author of Jaws, accomplished diver, and prominent advocate for ocean and shark conservation.
Condition report:
The vellum leaf exhibits characteristic rippling and cockling throughout, typical for organic manuscript material of this period. There is visible age-toning to the surface. The script and pigments remain crisp and legible, and the gold leaf is well-preserved. The gilt wood frame shows minor surface wear and light scuffing to the edges.
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