Rare Carolingian Manuscript Fragment – ca. 10th-11th Century Liturgical Missal

A genuine medieval manuscript fragment on vellum, written in a fine Carolingian minuscule hand, dating from the 10th to very early 11th century A.D.

This narrow strip of parchment once formed part of a large liturgical manuscript (likely a Missal or Sacramentary) produced in a Swiss or German scriptorium, quite possibly St. Gallen Abbey, one of the greatest centers of Carolingian learning and book production. The fragment was later recycled as binding material in a ca. 1485 Basel incunable, where it remained hidden for centuries before being recovered.

• Script: Clear and rounded Carolingian minuscule, the ancestor of modern handwriting.
• Decoration: Contains a red rubricated initial and additional red highlighting of sacred text.
• Text: From the Latin liturgy; fragments of prayers and chants.
• Size: Approx. see photos
• Condition: As expected for recycled binding waste; vellum trimmed narrow, with some staining and creasing. Script remains sharp and legible.

Carolingian manuscript fragments are exceedingly rare on the market, far scarcer than later Gothic leaves. The survival of this fragment offers collectors and institutions a chance to own an authentic piece of early medieval book history, over 1,000 years old.

Comparable examples: The style and script closely resemble manuscripts preserved at St. Gallen Abbey Library (Cod. Sang. 339, ca. 1000).
⸻
Provenance
• Written in a monastic scriptorium in Switzerland or southern Germany, ca. 900–1050 A.D.
• Recovered from a Basel incunable binding (c. 1485).
⸻
All of my items are guaranteed to be genuine and authentic.

Be sure to check out my other listings for more amazing Bible items.

If you want to check out my YouTube channel for more information about these leaves and others like it you can find it here: https://youtube.com/@thedivinelibraryhistoy?si=5a2xnVEgDbdPasg5