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Eine im Jahr 1927 von Hermann Menhardt im Handschriftenverzeichnis der Kärntner Bibliotheken (Bd. 1, S. 262) beschriebene Handschrift, die sich damals in Klagenfurt im Privatbesitz von Ernst Urbas befand, wird nach Auskunft von Ulrike Bodemann (München) am 10. Juli 2010 bei Christie's in London versteigert (Sale 7911, Lot 43). Der im alemannischen Sprachraum im Jahr 1499 entstandene und von Petrus Brack de Minderdorff geschriebene Codex ist reichhaltig illustriert und überliefert u.a. die sog. 'Kemptener Chronik' des Johannes Birk. Meldet der Handschriftencensus.http://www.handschriftencensus.de/14741Dort fehlt der Hinweis auf den früheren Verkauf bei Sotheby's:http://dla.library.upenn.edu/cocoon/dla/schoenberg/record.html?id=SCHOENBERG_730Der Eintrag bei Christie's lautet:JOHANNES BIRK, Stifftung des Gotzhaus Kempten und Sant Hyltgarten Leben, The monastic foundation at Kempten and the Life of St Hildegard, in German, DECORATED MANUSCRIPT ON PAPER[Kempten Abbey, Swabia], dated 1499303 x 202mm. 147 leaves, including ii flyleaves and blanks ff.22-3, 93-146r and two pages later 16th-century additions (f.146v-147), contemporary foliation in ink (A-C, F-H, J-M, N-T, V-W, 1-15, 17-70), modern pencil foliation beginning on first flyleaf and followed here, paper overlay with contemporary correction on one calendar leaf, bull's head watermarks indicating two paperstocks, 27-28 lines written in brown ink in a cursiva libraria, the first section (ff.13-21) in a different hand, between two horizontals and verticals ruled in brown, justification: 205 x 133mm, capitals touched red, rubrics in red, large opening initials in red, some flourished, three computational tables in red and brown ink, two large circular diagrams with yellow and black wash and once with volvelles, FIFTY-NINE LARGE DRAWINGS in ink and coloured washes (apparently lacking two leaves after f.5 and a leaf after f.38, light wear and surface soiling throughout, mainly to margins, edges brittle with losses at lower inner margin of many leaves, some repaired tears, mostly marginal, several affecting text or drawings). ?Original wooden boards rebound in 20th-century calf retaining possibly original upper cover in light brown calf stamped and ruled in blind, divided by single and double diagonal fillets into lozenge-shaped compartments containing tools including a standing saint, fleur de lys, foliage, scroll inscribed ?Maria and rosette in a roundel, metal catch (upper cover worn with loss at edges).A RARE COPY OF JOHANNES BIRK'S HISTORY OF THE ABBEY OF KEMPTEN AND LIFE OF ST HILDEGARD IN GERMAN, SIGNED AND DATED BY THE SCRIBEPROVENANCE:1. Presumably made for the Benedictine Abbey of Kempten in the diocese of Constance, in present day Allgaü, south-west Bavaria. St Hildegard, Charlemagne and their son, Louis the Pious, were revered as benefactors and founders of the Abbey in the 8th century. Eleven volumes are known to have survived from its library (see S. Krämer, Handschriftenerbe des Deutschen Mittelalters, I, 1989, this manuscript cited p.392). The manuscript is signed and dated on f.92 by the scribe, Peter Brack of Minderdorff on Thursday before the Purification of the Virgin (2 February), 1499: 'Diss biechlin ist volendet und geschriben am dornstag vor unser lieben frowen tag irer rainigung zuo liechtmess Anno http://dni.Mo cccco lxxxxviiijno per me petrum brack von minderdorff'. The death of the father of Petrus Brack of Oberminderdorff is added beside 22 November in the calendar, which includes saints revered in Augsburg and Constance.2. The list of contents in Latin added to the verso of f.ii in a 17th-century hand suggests the volume was still at Kempten where it probably remained until the abbey was suppressed in 1802.3. In 1927 the manuscript was in the private collection of Ernst Urbas of Klagenfurt, Austria, where it had been described by Hermann Menhardt in 1924 (H. Menhardt, Handschriftenverzeichnis der Kärntner Bibliotheken, Bd.1, Vienna, 1927, S.262, see notes reproduced on http://www.bbaw.de, Handschriftenarchiv).CONTENT:Calendar, each month with accompanying notes on astrology, on determining auspicious times for taking cold water baths, advice on which food, drink and medicines to be consumed according to the season, and medical dictums from the classical world including those of Aristotle, Galen, Seneca, Albumasar and Hippocrates ff.3-12v; 'Nach Volget Unnd ist ze mercken dyew aigenschafft aines yedlichen Mensch[e]n', on the nature of man (including, for example, 'Item. Dye forcht ligt dem mensch[e]n Inn Dem Hertzen') f.13; circular diagram and explanatory notes on the planets and days of the week, a list of zodiac signs with computational tables, ff.13v-15; '... wann es gut od[e]r bös zu der Aderlassen sey', on bloodletting, with a list of zodiac signs and their influence, computational tables for the years 1500-1577, circular diagram and explanations on the planets relating to the seasons, elements and the bodily humours ff.15v-21; Stifftung des gotzhaus kempt[e]n un[d] sant hyltgart[e]n leben ff.24-92, an account of the building and endowing of the abbey, a list of its relics which include a part of Aaron's rod, Noah's Ark and St Peter's Cross, manna and St Michael Archangel's footprint ff.36v-39, accounts of patron saints Gordian and Epimachus ff.39v-47v, indulgences given for the altar of St Hildegard at Kempten and for the chapel at Burghalde castle ff.47v-49v, of the twelve kings and noblemen who came to Kempten with St Hildegard ff.50-57v, God's miraculous deeds at Kempten carried out through St Hildegard and Louis the Pious ff.58-80v, the miracles performed by Charlemagne ff.81-81v, a record of important historical events until 1494 ff.82-87, 'Zu dem letsten des biechlins merck ein klain history von dem loblich[e]n un[d] vest[e]n ritter hainrich[e]n von kempt[en]', a history of the knight, Heinrich of Kempten detailing his four knightly deeds (ff.87-92); colophon f.92; added instructions on how to grow trees in a garden ff.146v-147.This is a rare copy of the text in German, with only three other manuscripts apparently recorded: a copy bound with a chronicle of Augsburg by Sigismund Meisterlin, Universitätsbibliothek, Würzburg (U.B. cod. http://M.ch.f.97, ff.124-230v), with Birk's text dated after 1483, and Augsburg, Staats- und Stadtbibliothek, 2° Cod 249, written in 1582 by the scribe Jeremias Lentzer of Wettenhausen, copied from an earlier text signed and dated 1506 by the scribe Johannes Kreler.[Christie's übersieht die Krälersche Handschrift von 1506 Cgm 9280: http://www.handschriftencensus.de/14744 ohne Nennung des Schreibers Johann Kräler]Johannes Birk of Biberach, who studied in Vienna and Heidelberg and from the late 1460s until 1494 ran the Abbey school at Kempten, originally wrote three distinct works, in Latin; the lives of St Hildegard, of Charlemagne, and a history of Kempten, elaborating earlier sources such as Gottfried of Marsilia and Pseudo Turpin. He followed with this simplified combination of all three in the vernacular.ILLUSTRATION:Colour-washed drawings were especially favoured in southern Germany for providing effective illustrations quickly and economically. The resulting economy of style encouraged a telling use of assured line, with colour as an attractive adjunct that could, however, be crucial for clarifying figures and details. The convention of unframed pictures with minimal settings meant the artist had to focus on essentials to convey the subject through a frieze of figures strikingly isolated against the page.The subjects of the drawings are as follows:f.24 The Virgin and Child in a mandorla beside the Abbey of Kemptenf.24v St Hildegard and Charlemagne holding a model of the Abbeyf.26 St Hildegard and Louis the Pious with a young girl, illustrating the chapter on St Hildegard's descendantsf.27v St Hildegard overseeing the building of the Abbeyf.29 Two labourers carrying a large stonef.30 The castle of Hylemont or Burghaldef.32 Pope Adrian I asperging the Abbey, accompanied by a Cardinal, before St Hildegard and Charlemagne.f.33v A monk and the Abbey's first Abbot, Audegarius, before the Abbey receiving its charter from Charlemagnef.34v Two monks with Audegariusf.36 Four reliquaries from the Abbey, supported on a wooden framef.39v Saints Gordian and Epimachus, Kempten's patron saints, beside the Virgin and Child in a mandorlaf.44 St Epimachus of Alexandria, holding his instrument of martyrdom,a lime kilnf.45v St Marina, the wife of St Gordianf.47v Pope Adrian I giving the abbot of Kempten an indulgence for the altar of St Hildegardf.49 Burghalde castle, illustrating the text relating to an indulgence for its chapelf.51 Regimundus of Greece, with armorialf.51v Duke Excelsus, with armorialf.52 Marsilius, King of Spain, with armorialf.52v Ferninus of Orleans, with armorialf.53 Prince Rugaberchtus of the Nabodeans, with armorialf.53v King Rosso of Africa, with armorialf.54 Erphonus, king or governor of Persia, with armorialf.54v Delsmotus of Egypt, with armorialf.55 Duke Leonarius of the Chaldeans, with armorialf.55v Dolganus, king of the Franks, with armorialf.56 Duke Bero of Madion, with armorialf.56v Count Decretarius of Ethiopia, with armorialf.57v Five coats of arms, of Kempten and its patrons, the duchiesof Bavaria, of Saxony, Wüttemberg and Vorarlbergf.58 Standing figure of St Hildegard, wearing the imperial crownf.62 The hand of God above St Hildegard and her son Louis the Piousf.63 The altar and grave of St Hildegard in Kempten Abbeyf.63v A child brought back to life on the altar of St Hildegard, the saint and Louis the Pious looking on, the hand of God abovef.64v A boy who drowned in the Iller river; St Hildegard kneeling at the bank with Louis, the hand of God abovef.65 A leper, shown with his clappers, is cured; with St Hildegard and Louis, the hand of God abovef.66 A cripple is healed; St Hildegard and Louis, the hand of God above f.66v A man with hydropsy is healed; St Hildegard and Louis atthe foot of his bed, the hand of God abovef.67v Evil spirits, shown as two black birds, are expelled froman old woman; St Hildegard and Louis, the hand of God abovef.68v The blacksmith Conrad of Kempten Abbey working at his forgef.69 Two women chained in stocksf.70 A woman with hydropsy is cured; hand of God abovef.70v Conrad von Füssen, a young lame boy, is cured, hand of God abovef.71 A blind monk from Reitenbach Abbey is given back his sight, thehand of God abovef.72 A deaf woman from Gerisried hears again, the hand of God abovef.72v A lame woman on crutches, Hyltgart Felberin of Ostrach, is cured, the hand of God abovef.73 Sabina Lesslarius of Echingen in prayer, cured of the 'fluss derfrowen oder blumen', the hand of God abovef.73v An evil spirit is expelled from the preacher Wernher Lindberger of Walse, kneeling before St Hildegard and Louis, the hand of God above f.74v Peter Birck of St Gall covered in boils, is cured, the hand of God abovef.75 An old woman from Stouffen is healed, the hand of God abovef.75v A young man, Heinrich Aichelberg of Altheim, lying in bed curedfrom a serious illnessf.76 Berchtold Kramer of Echingen, a mute boy, being cured, the hand of God abovef.77 Margaretha Stentnerin of Krügzell is cured of St Vitus' Dance,the hand of God abovef.77v A girl Gütta Schnyderin of Kempten with 'bad' eyes is cured, the hand of God abovef.78 Two sextons digging the graves of St Hildegard and Louis the Pious f.79v The monks of Kempten Abbey digging up the tomb of Louisf.81 An angel bringing Charlemagne his sword, spurs and orbf.87 The knight Heinrich von Kempten, in full armour, with bannerf.88v The knight Heinrich holding a clubf.89 The knight Heinrich holding a lancef.89v The knight Heinrich holding a halberd, representing 'his manliest knightly fight'http://tinyurl.com/3xyx448Nach wir vor maßgeblich der Aufsatz von Baumann:http://daten.digitale-sammlungen.de/bsb00009125/image_11Zu Birk siehe auch: ?p=28410Leider dürfte der Preis für eine deutsche Institution viel zu hoch sein :-( (Ebenso wie beim Processionale aus Stift Nonnberg in Salzburg, Lot 44).Update: Price realized $183,209Erworben für die BSBhttp://archiv.twoday.net/stories/6418517http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Johannes_Birk