Leaf from the Villeneuve-lès-Avignon Bible, in Latin, manuscript on parchment [France, 13th century]

Ɵ Josias censing the altar in Jerusalem for the Passover,in a historiated initial on a leaf from the Villeneuve-lès-Avignon Bible, with Nehemiah and beginning of Ezra II, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on parchment[France (probably Paris), second half of thirteenth century] Single leaf, with double column of 56 lines in tiny gothic bookhand (littera textualis or 'pearl script'), headings in red, capitals touched in yellow wash, running titles and chapter numbers in alternated red or blue capitals, three 2-line initials in red or blue will full length penwork in both colours, one large historiated initial 'E' (opening "Et fecit Iosias pascha ...", 3 Esdras 1), with Josias censing the altar in Jerusalem for the Passover, in style of 'Vie de Saint Denis' workshop, this fol. 166 of original codex, some marginal notes, overall excellent condition, 210 by 150mm; in cloth-covered binding Provenance: 1. From a Bible once in the medieval library of the Carthusian Abbey of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon, founded in 1356 by Pope Innocent VI who gave the abbey 57 manuscripts. The parent manuscript of this leaf was at least a century old when acquired by the abbey, but its distinctive punctus flexus punctuation suggests that it came to them from another Carthusian house (see N.R. Ker, Medieval Manuscripts in British Libraries, 1969, I, p. xii, n. 2).2. Transferred in 1812 to the Hôtel de Ville in Villeneuve, and sold by the municipality in 1853 to the Montpellier bookseller Félix Seguín, his cat. for 1854, no. 3.3. Subsequently broken up in London c. 1961 probably by Louis Bondy, and dispersed through the Folio Society and Maggs (see Maggs, Bulletin 2, 1962, no. 13, for the leaves with the ownership inscription of Villeneuve-lès-Avignon; for other leaves see M.M. Manion, V.F. Vines and C. de Hamel, Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts in New Zealand Collections, 1989, no. 68, pp. 89-90).4. Alan G. Thomas (1911-1992), London bookseller: with his price code. 5. Quaritch cat. 1147, Bookhands of the Middle Ages V, 1991, no. 19.6. Schøyen Collection, London and Oslo, their MS 654; acquired in June 1990. Decoration:The historiated initial here is in the style of the 'Vie de Saint-Denis' atelier, on which see R. Branner, Manuscript Painting in Paris during the Reign of Saint Louis, 1977, pp. 87-93.