AUTHOR: LIMBOURG BROTHERS

LANGUAGE: FRENCH

DATE: 1405-1408/1409

PAGE #: 90

REPRODUCTION DIMENSIONS:

HISTORY/DESCRIPTION: THE BELLES HEURES OF JEAN DE FRANCE, DUC BERRY, OR BELLES HEURES OF JEAN DE BERRY (THE BEAUTIFUL HOURS) IS AN EARLY 15TH CENTURY ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT BOOK OF HOURS COMMISSIONED BY THE FRENCH PRINCE JOHN, DUKE OF BERRY. IT WAS MADE FOR HIS USE IN PRIVATE PRAYER AND ESPECIALLY DEVOTIONS TO THE VIRGIN MARY. WITH 172 ILLUMINATIONS, THE BELLES HEURES IS ONE OF THE MOST CELEBRATED MANUSCRIPTS OF THE MIDDLE AGES. VERY FEW BOOKS OF HOURS ARE AS RICHLY DECORATED AS IT IS AND REMAINING IN SUCH A CONDITION AS THE COLORS ARE AS VIBRANT ALMOST AS THE DAY IT WAS PAINTED.

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.