Graduals. The gradual is a chant or hymn in the Mass, the liturgical celebration of the Eucharist in the Catholic Church, and among some other Christians. It gets its name from the Latin gradus (meaning “step”) because it was once chanted on the step of the ambo or altar. Reference: Wikipedia.
Below are some examples and price guides of antique graduals including an illuminated manuscript leaf and some fifteenth and sixteenth century leaves.
ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT LEAF
The Nativity, from an illuminated Gradual, single leaf, in Latin on vellum, with large illuminated opening initial “P” depicting the Holy family, ox and ass in the stable with angel and star above, the initial on a burnished gold background decorated with acanthus leaves and flourishes in green, blue, pinks and red, similar ornamentation in the upper margin, 10 lines of alternate text and music on four-line red staves, text on verso, one line of text oxidised with some loss, narrow strip (18mm.) of vellum added to head of leaf, 424 x 370mm., [?Bologna, early fifteenth century]; together with another incomplete leaf
Sold for £2,550 inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2022
Illuminated manuscript.- Gradual, in Latin, decorated manuscript on vellum, Spain, [16th century].
Illuminated manuscript.- Gradual, in Latin, decorated manuscript on vellum, 88 leaves only, wanting 4 leaves from first gathering and approximately another 4 gatherings from the opening of the volume, contemporary foliation: 1-2, 7-8, 42-124 (with occasional errors in this last part), collation: i4, ii-xi8, xii4, six lines of text in a large Iberian liturgical hand, with music on a 4-line red stave (rastrum: 43mm.), rubrics and running titles in red, initials in elaborate penwork strokes or simple red designs, one large red initial with acanthus leaves overlaid in white penwork on a blank vellum stylised acanthus leaf ground on green hatched in black penstrokes, parchment cockled in places, spots and stains, bottom section cut away from last leaf of main text, some pages with traces of glue and paper from sections of newer music once overlaid on paper strips, else good condition
Sold for £2,000 at Forum Auctions in 2022
Two 15th century manuscript leaves from a Gradual, probably English, of Sarum use, written in red and black, each leaf 27.5 x 16cm, the text including votive masses for special occasions [according to a label to the reverse marked ‘British Museum 1942’], framed
Sold for £340 at Cheffins in 2022
2pc 15th & 16th Century Illuminated Manuscript Pages. Includes Book of Hours circa 1440 and Northern French Gradual Leaf circa 1550. Both framed with double sided gallery frames, Gradual Leaf image measures 7×5” (15.25×12.75” frame), Book of Hours image measures 6×4.5” (14.25×12.25” frame). Both in excellent condition with strong colors, Book of Hours accented with lustrous gold.
Sold for US$600 at MBA Seattle Auction in 2022
