Text written by one hand in a Northern Textualis script in black ink, slightly faded in areas. Text written above the line, with the descenders of “g”, “p” and “q” just descending below the line. Some majuscule letters on verso, all of which have a dull yellowish background. Evidence of smudging (black ink) in decorated border of verso. Difficult to determine if rubrication was applied by a separate hand.

All outer edges evenly brown from use, suggesting no trimming after removal from manuscript.

General: One-line painted initials in burnished gold on blue and red-rose squares filled with white detail, each colour placed alternatively inside and outside the letter for all but one initial. In this case, both colours are used together on the outside of the initial. Some letters are cusped. Line-fillers in a combination of red-rose and blue (sequence alternating) with white detail. One burnished gold dot separates the red and blue colours.

Recto: Marginal decoration on the right-side of the recto and left-side of verso - red and blue flowers and blue and “washed” gold acanthus motif. This decoration is similar to Otto Ege’s Leaf 46 in portfolio 19, held at the Stony Brook University Libraries. He places Leaf 46 to Northern France and dates it to c. 1475, in line with comment of bookseller from whom this leaf was purchased.  

Verso: One two-line initial “Q” painted in red-rose with white detail on a gold background. The enclosed portion of the letter is decorated with one blue and one red-rose stylised three-petal flower emanating from a curled stem. Rubrication in blue ink.

The fourth lesson often begins with the words "Responde michi," but this leaf does not. Instead, it begins with "Quantas habeo." Erik Drigsdahl of the CHD Institute for Studies of Illuminated Manuscripts suggests that this points to the Use of Rouen or Sarum. After a survey of uses of Books of Hours (including Sarum, Windesheim, Paris, Rome, and Rouen), paying special attention to the beginning of the fourth lession, I concur with his suggestion. With the omission of "Responde michi," this leaf likely originates from a Book of Hours either for the Use of Rouen or Sarum. This, along with the decoration, points it to having been made in Northern France for a patron in Rouen, or perhaps produced for export to England. 

Purchased by Alison Kilford in August 2022 from antiquarian bookseller Sanderus, located in Ghent, Belgium, and a member of the International Antiquarian Mapsellers Association. Comment on the leaf from the bookseller states “Feuillet d’un livre d’heures. Manuscrit sur parchemin, enluminé d’or et peint à l’aquarelle. Paris, ca. 1480.”