Virgil’s Aeneid

1825: "superb" red velvet binding

1976: Red velvet (spine worn), gilt fifteenth-century centre- and corner-bosses, clasps and catches. This is not the original binding, but it could be a sixteenth- or seventeenth-century rebinding re-using the medieval metalwork. The edges are red (not gilt as one would expect with a medieval velvet binding). The present endleaves are marbled and date from the early nineteenth century. Size of binding: 295 x 220 mm.

After its acquisition by the University of Western Australia, the manuscript was re-bound in modern red library buckram, with the bosses, clasps and catches retained.

(1) A coat of arms, azure, five lozenges conjoined in bend or, (within a laurel wreath) has been added at the foot of f. 1 a few years after the completion of the text. These arms were born by Langen (Westphalia) and de la Motte-Baraffe (Brabant), but no Italian claimant is recorded.

(2) Abbe Celotti; his sale, Sotheby's, 14 March 1825, lot 321, price 22 pounds: "superbly bound in crimson velvet with gilt clasps and catches". It was described in the sale catalogue as "From the Mocenigo Library at Venice".

(3) Phillipps MS. 988 and 2878, entered twice in error. Phillipps' crest, etc., stencilled on blank leaf.

(4) Sotheby's sale, 30 November 1976: Bibliotheca Phillippica; Medieval manuscripts. New Series: pt. 11 : catalogue of manuscripts on papyrus, vellum and paper .... (lot 878), price US$1,320.90

(5) Alan G. Thomas sale 1977: Catalogue 76, lot 5 (1,250 pounds)

Mocenigo Library, Venice. Abbe Luigi Cellotti (ms. 321). Sold by Sotheby's in 1825 for 22 pounds. Phillipps MS. 2878. Sold by Sotheby's in 1976 for 1,320.90 pounds. Sold by Alan G. Thomas in 1977 for 3,000.00.