La Sainte Messe.

[Paris]. 1890.

A beautiful late nineteenth-century illuminated manuscript with the text of the Ordinary of the Mass. 178x125mm. Title page and thirty-two pages. Signed at foot of final page "Germaine Mimey 1890" with the initials "G.M." at the foot of each page. Bound by Emile Rousselle (signed at foot of front doublure) in tan morocco with a single fillet border framing a wide, gilt tooled border inside which is a smaller gilt tooled border which frames a shield with three fleur de lys surmounted by a crown. Below the shield is a dragon. Either side of the shield is stamped (four times) the letter "F" surmounted by a crown. This is repeated on the lower cover. The spine has five raised bands with four compartments decorated with a fleur de lys (the second compartment being blank). The front and rear doublures are of blue morocco with gilt decoration and a brown calf diamond. Turn-ins decorated in gilt. Front and rear free endpapers are in brown silk. The illuminations are gorgeously delicate with the occasional block of colour. The spirit is genuinely medieval with a light sinuousness in contrast to the rather heavier Gothic Revival manner which is often in evidence in this type of late nineteenth century illumination. We have been unable to identify "F" (unless of course it simply stands for "France") but, with the crowns, shield and fleur de lys, this beautiful little Missal was clearly done for an aristocratic and perhaps even a royal patron, although, of course, by 1890 he or she would have been a mere Pretender, taking solace in this sumptuous devotional book.