Chasing the evidence
In the sixteenth century more often than not bookbindings were made to order. A bookseller might have one or two works bound, ready for sale, but it was quite usual for a printed work to lie on the shelf unbound for several years, sometimes more, before being sold and bound. In extreme cases this could be centuries later as was the case for Band 1 B 7 printed in 1597, which has an eighteenth century binding commissioned by the poet, artist, writer and historian Jacob Kortebrant. More about that binding later.
The binding on Band 1 F 12 however, is contemporary, with a medieval appearance due to its wooden boards and the tooling. It contains a 1520 edition of Speculum Aureum by the Dutch mystic Hendrik Herp, and is the earliest work in the Bandenkast 1500-1600. Speculum Aureum is a collection of sermons on the ten commandments, written by Herp in the 1460’s and first printed in 1474/5 a few years before the author’s death. The binding has been heavily restored with re-use of parts of the original binding. Fortunately the left and right board covers, with respectively the 'Man of Sorrows’ and the ‘De profundis’ triple animal panel, have been saved during the restoration. Maybe they can tell us more about the origin of the binding as the original pastedowns have been replaced, and with it any early ownership information that could have been written on them.
Henricus Herp, Speculum Aureum. Colophon: Impressum in Argentina [Strassburg]: Joannem Knobloch, 1520. In-4. OTM: Band 1 F 12.
Verheyden 1933 states that bindings tooled like Band 1 F 12 were made in the workshop of the Bossche fraters. Fogelmark 1990 refutes this attribution.
Let us look at the evidence Verheyden 1933 bases his attribution on, a corpus of 54 bindings with recurring tools and panel stamps. The part of his research that is relevant for us concerns thirteen bindings which have the Man of Sorrows panel on one board and the De profundis panel on the other, or either of the two on both covers. Two of these bindings are owned by the University of Amsterdam: Inc.99 bound with Inc.149 and OTM: O 62-2031. Inc.99/149 was not available for research. Comparison of the panels on the boards of Band 1 F 12 with those on OTM: O 62-2031 and Hs 19 from the Aartsbisschoppelijk Museum in Utrecht (Verheyden 1933, plate 7) reveals three shared characteristics. Similar tools, a mirror image and nailmarks on the boards around the central panels.
1 - Similar tools
Medallions with double headed eagles, and lozenges with fleur-de-lis and single quatrefoil tools.
2 - Mirror image
On the left covers of OTM: O 62-2031 and Hs.19, above Christ’s halo, the N in ‘INRI’ is a mirror image. The tooling on Band 1 F 12 is very worn, but it seems that it also has the mirrored N.
Hs. 19 (Aartsbisschoppelijk Museum Utrecht)
OTM: O 62-2031
Band 1 F 12
3 - Nailmarks
Similarities in placement and size of nailmarks are a telltale clue to trace and compare the provenance of panel stamps. When engraved and ready for use, the metal panel stamp was nailed onto a piece of wood. When the panel stamp is impressed into the board covering, the heads of the nails used to connect the metal panel stamp to the wooden handle leave an impression in the image.
The De profundis panel stamps on the right covers have nailmarks under 'vocem' and 'servare' in exactly the same place as on eight other panels found by Verheyden (Verheyden 1933, p.223). The single nail marks are clearly visible in the middle, at the top and bottom of the panels.
OTM: O 62-2031
Band 1 F 12
Connecting the dots
So far so good, but what do the similar tools, a mirror image and nailmarks on Band 1 F 12 actually tell us? If one follows Verheyden, the similarity of our binding to those in his corpus implicates that it also came from the workshop of the Bossche fraters.
For several reasons Fogelmark is not convinced of this attribution. He states that none of the tools in Verheyden’s corpus are signed and that anonymous tools were used by various binders, the same goes for the two panel stamps, which are not signed either. Therefore this binding could also have been made by any binder. In addition to this Fogelmark points out that the placing of the nails on the handle of the panel stamp is an individual choice of the binder. Due to this the placing of the nailmarks on a binding may vary, even if made with the same panelstamp. Furthermore Fogelmark observes that none of the manuscripts bound in Verheyden’s Man of Sorrows/De profundis bindings show evidence that they were written by the Bossche fraters. The assumption being that a monastery would bind its own manuscripts, not send it to another monastery to be bound.
Fogelmark’s comments on the anonymous tools and the variation in the placing of the nails seem logical. However as for the binding of the manuscripts of other monasteries, it is a fact that the 's-Hertogenbosch section of the Brethren of Common Life, the Bossche fraters, had an active bindery during the 15th and 16th century. Their focus was educational, producing manuscripts and bookbindings for their own library, for the Sint-Janskerk as well as for convents and other monasteries in and around ’s-Hertogenbosch. (Vervliet 1978).
Back to the Middle Ages
The images of both the Man of Sorrows panel and the De Profundis panel on this binding originate in the Middle Ages. The Man of Sorrows was popular from the thirteenth century onward and especially in Northern Europe. Representations of the Man of Sorrows continued until well after the Renaissance.
‘The Man of Sorrows in its many artistic forms is the most precise visual expression of the piety of the later Middle Ages, which took its character from mystical contemplation rather than from theological speculation.’ (Schiller 1972)
Mystical contemplation. How fitting that this panel should be applied on a work by the mystic Hendrik Herp.
The De profundis panel also figures on Band 1 H 3, its medieval connection will be elaborated on there. The same goes for the two illustrious former owners of Band 1 F 12, George Dunn and Ulco Proost. The Bandenkast holds several items from their libraries.
An unidentified bookplate and that of George Dunn
Bookplate of Ulco Proost (right)
George Dunn date of acquisition and price code on the title-page
Provenance
Bindery of the Bossche Fraters, Brethren of Common Life ? (active 's-Hertogenbosch, 15/16th century)
Bought December 1908 by George Dunn
George Dunn (1864-1912)
UP = Ulco Proost (1885-1966)
University of Amsterdam. Bought at Veilinghuis J.L. Beijers. 7/8-11-1967 for Hfl. 1.500 plus buyer's premium
Sales and catalogues Band 1 F 12
Catalogue of the Valuable and Extensive Library Formed by George Dunn, Esq. (Diceased), of Woolley Hall, near Maidenhead; Sold under the Will of the Deceased. The Third and Final Portion. London: Sotheby, Wilkinson & Hodge, 22-29 Nov. 1917. Lot nr. 3261.
The Fine Library of a Well-Known Amsterdam Collector [Ulco Proost]. Utrecht: J.L. Beijers, November 7 and 8, 1967. Lot nr. 1595. Estim. price: Hfl 600-650. Bought for Hfl. 1500 plus 16% buyer's premium.
Bibliography
OTM: Band 1 F 12 at the University of Amsterdam
Binding description Band 1 F 12 at bandenkast.blogspot.com
‘George Dunn (1864-1912) of Woolley Hall and his price code(s).’ At Medieval Manuscripts Provenance. Notes and Observations.
Staffan Fogelmark, Flemish and Related Panel-stamped Bindings. Evidence and Principles. New York: Bibliographical Society of America, 1990. ‘Nail marks': p. 16-81. See p. 16 and p. 35-43 for assessment of Verheyden’s attribution.
Gertrud Schiller, Iconography of Christian Art. Volume II. The passion of Jesus Christ. London: Lund Humphries, London. 1972. p. 197.
Prosper Verheyden, ‘Boekbanden uit 's-Hertogenbosch’. in: W. de Vreese, M.E. Kronenberg & F.K.H. Kossmann (Eds.), Het Boek. Nieuwe Reeks. Den Haag: Martinus Nijhoff, 1933. p. 209-239.
Ch.C.V. Verreyt, ‘De boekdrukkerij van Laurens Haeyen en van de ‘Broeders van het Gemeene Leven’, te 's Hertogenbosch, in 't begin der 16e eeuw’. In: Dietsche Warande. Nieuwe reeks 2. Jaargang 7. Gent/Amsterdam: A. Siffer/ L.J. Veen, 1894. p. 89-108. Online at dbnl.
H.D.L. Vervliet, 'R. Langius, Carmen In Horas Dominicas’ S-Hertogenbosch, Fratres Domus S. Gregorii, 1526.' In: Vervliet H.D.L. (eds) Post-Incunabula en Hun Uitgevers in de Lage Landen/Post-Incunabula and Their Publishers in the Low Countries. Dordrecht: Martinus Nijhoff, 1978. p. 152-153.
W.H. James Weale, Bookbindings and Rubbings of Bindings in the National Art Library South Kensington. II. Catalogue. London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1894. 388 (panel on left board). 408 (panel on right board with some differences).
Bindings with the Man of Sorrows panel at the University of Amsterdam
Band 1 F 12 [1520]
Inc. 99[1527] bound with Inc. 149 (not available for research)
OTM: O 62-2031 (2) [(1)1512 / (2)1517] With Bossche fraters ownership stamp P22. It is unclear why this better preserved specimen with ownership stamp of the fraters was not added to the Bandenkast instead of the less authentic Band 1 F 12.
OTM: O 62-2031 (2)
'Man of Sorrows. Sandro Botticelli anniversary 1444-1510.' Sierra Leone, Easter stamp, 1985.
[Pam van Holthe]