BOOK OF KELLS AND LINDISFARNE SET

BOTH FACSIMILES WILL BE MADE IN MATCHING LEATHER WITH GOLD TOOLING ON THE SPINE AND COVER IDENTIFYING BOOKS.

KELLS

AUTHOR: IRISH MONKS

LANGUAGE: LATIN

DATE: 800 AD

PAGE #: 678

REPRODUCTION DIMENSIONS: 11.75 X 8.75 IN

HISTORY/DESCRIPTION: THE KELLS MANUSCRIPT IS ONE OF THE MOST RENOWNED ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES. TENTATIVELY DATED TO THE YEAR 800 AD. THE BOOK RESIDED AT THE EPONYMOUS ABBEY OF KELLS FOR MANY CENTURIES BEFORE IT WAS MOVED, IN 1654. . THE TEXT OF THE BOOK IS LARGELY TAKEN FROM THE VULGATE, A FOURTH CENTURY LATIN TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE, THOUGH IT INCLUDES SEVERAL PASSAGES DERIVED FROM THE EARLIER VETUS LATINA. IT CONTAINS THE FOUR GOSPELS MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE, AND JOHN. THE BOOK WAS LARGELY SACRAMENTAL, IT WOULD HAVE LIKELY BEEN DISPLAYED DURING MASS, RATHER THAN USED FOR CLOSE EXAMINATION. WIDELY REGARDED AS ONE OF IRELAND’S FINEST ARTISTIC TREASURES, THE KELL'S MANUSCRIPT EXEMPLIFIES WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE INSULAR STYLE (900-1100AD). INSULAR ART COMBINED BOTH CELTIC AND ANGLO-SAXON VISUAL ELEMENTS TO CREATE A NEW HYBRID STYLE. WHERE ITS CONTEMPORARY, THE BYZANTINE STYLE, SOUGHT TO PORTRAY REALISTIC THREE-DIMENSIONAL FORMS, THE INSULAR STYLE SAW A FLATTENING OF HUMAN AND ANIMAL FORMS. THERE WAS ALSO A NEW FOCUS ON INTRICATE PATTERNING, HEAVILY INFLUENCED BY ELITE METALWORK OF THE AREA. THESE FORMAL ELEMENTS CAN BE CLEARLY SEEN IN THE DENSE ORNAMENTATION ON A MAJORITY OF THE FOLIOS WITHIN THE THE KELL'S MANUSCRIPT. OUR REPRODUCTION IS OF THE KELLS MANUSCRIPT IN ITS ENTIRETY. 678 FULL COLOR PAGES OF THIS MAGNIFICENT MASTERPIECE.

LINDISFARNE

AUTHOR: MONK EADFRITH

LANGUAGE: LATIN

DATE: 700

PAGES #: 518

REPRODUCTION DIMENSIONS: 11.75 X 8.75 IN

HISTORY/DESCRIPTION: "THE LINDISFARNE GOSPELS" IS AN ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT OF THE GOSPELS PRODUCED AROUND THE YEAR 700. THE MANUSCRIPT IS PRESUMED TO BE THE WORK OF A MONK NAMED EADFRITH, WHO BECAME BISHOP OF LINDISFARNE IN 698 AND DIED IN 721. THE GOSPELS WERE SAID TO BE COMMISSIONED IN HONOR OF SAINT CUTHBERT. THE LINDISFARNE MONASTERY IS OFF THE COAST OF NORTHUMBERLAND, KNOWN AS HOLY ISLAND. THE MANUSCRIPT IS ONE OF THE FINEST WORKS IN THE UNIQUE STYLE OF HIBERNO-SAXON, OR INSULAR ART, COMBINING MEDITERRANEAN, ANGLO-SAXON, AND CELTIC ELEMENTS AND WAS USED FOR CEREMONIAL PURPOSES. THE ORIGINAL COVER FOR THE LINDISFARNE GOSPELS WAS A BEAUTIFUL FINE LEATHER PIECE ADORNED IN JEWELS AND METALS MADE BY BILLFRITH THE ANCHORITE. THIS COVER WAS STOLEN AMONG OTHER PRECIOUS ST. CUTHBERT RELICS DURING A VIKING RAID. IN 1852 A NEW COVER THAT CLOSELY RESEMBLES THE ORIGINAL WAS COMMISSIONED BY BISHOP EDWARD MALTBY. THE LINDISFARNE GOSPELS ARE NOW KEPT AT THE BRITISH LIBRARY IN LONDON.

REPRODUCTION DETAILS: OUR HARDCOVER BOOKS ARE MADE WITH REAL WOOD FOR THE INTERIOR OF THE FRONT AND BACK COVERS AS WELL AS THE SPINE. THE LEATHER IS A 4 OZ COWHIDE, FROM A SMALL SUPPLIER IN NORTH CAROLINA. THE LEATHER IS ADHERED TO THE COVERS WITH GLUE AND MOLDED INTO THE SHAPE AT THE HAND OF OUR LOCAL ARTISANS. THE SIGNATURES/PAGES ARE HANDSEWN USING A LIBRARY BINDING METHOD. THE SEWN BOOK IS BOUND WITH A STRONG ADHESIVE GLUE THAT MAKES THE BINDINGS LAST, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LARGER BOOKS. WE ALSO ADD A THICK MULL CLOTH TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE BINDING, DRYING IN BETWEEN EACH LAYER, A TRADITIONAL WAY TO MAKE THE BINDING STIFF, STRONG, AND RESILIENT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

NOTE: ALL OF OUR FACSIMILES ARE MADE TO ORDER. PLEASE ALLOW 4-6 WEEKS FOR NOTIFICATION OF SHIPMENT.