The one thing that we need to be aware of is that there are people who will buy a beautiful, medieval Bible, and then tear it apart because they can sell the pages individually for more than what they paid for the whole book.
It's one thing if this page came out of a Bible that had fallen apart, that was missing pages or books, and it was deemed unsalvagable except as artwork of individual pages. But I'd be worried about buying such a page and think that maybe I just paid someone to destroy a piece of history.
I have purchased
complete antique atlases and have also bought the same
atlas that was nothing more than loose leafs for the ability to frame some of the
maps. Some atlases (as well as books) are worth far more in their
complete state than as individual leaves. There also atlases and books worth more when separated then if sold
complete. Those are always at risk of being broken apart. There is no way to know with certainty.
I would not fault anyone for wanting to own a leaf from a illuminated script for framing. The same fear could be held when
buying an individual coin....that it was broken out of a unrecorded
hoard or an illegally dug up
hoard. Hard to justify one persons purchase vs another.
I have looked at and considered
buying something like this for a long time. The only reservation I have I
had is paying the appropriate
price since they vary greatly depending on a different factors. Ten years ago in Prague, you could walk into a
book store and buy
complete books or leaves at 1/10 to 1/50 the
price they cost now. Once folks cleaned out their attics (and probably some museums), and western
money started flooding in, prices shot up.
Peter....I am interested in the dimensions of the page and how you are mounting it? The fellow I use to frame my
maps has done some great double sided displays, so neither
side is hidden. If you get it framed, have it done by someone familiar with archival/conservatory framing. Beyond obvious concerns like pulp washed acid free matting, make sure they use
japanese tissue paper hinges to fix the document to the
mat. It allows swelling and shrinkage due to changes in heat and humidity. This prevents any strain being experienced by the document. Also avoids a shock to the document if the frame is jolted or falls. The tissue is easy to remove (make sure no acidic glues are used) and it allows easy removal without damage to the document, You would also want to invest in Tru-Vue museum
glass that is UV resistant. It virtually eliminates glare (without the cheaper ethced
type that blurs the image) and greatly diminishes image fade. When properly lit, the
glass is virtually invisible. Finally, aluminum tape to seal the edges of the
mat and make sure you don't hang it on a wall that faces the exterior of the house. Humidity can build behind the frame, and this usually does not occur on most interior walls.
Beautiful leaf. Was it expensive?
BR
Mark
