Medieval Manuscripts

Special Collections includes Medieval manuscript leaves and codices. The majority of items were donated by Samuel Herbert McVitty, of Salem, Virginia, in memory of his wife Lucy Winton McVitty, Trustee at Hollins, 1926-1943.The collection provides insight into the art of Medieval handwriting, manuscript production, music, and art.

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Antiphonal [HU 17]
- Country of origin: Italy
- Date: 1550
- Citation: Bond, W. H. Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the United States and Canada, no. 8
- Provenance: McVitty
Miniatures from the Book of Hours [HU Codex 1]

Twelve miniatures from the Book of Hours [HU Codex 1]: John the Evangelist (leaf 16a), Pentecost (leaf 24a), Crucifixion (32a), Annunciation (leaf 43a), Visitation (Mary to Elizabeth) (leaf 55a), Nativity (leaf 69a), Annunciation to the Shepherds (leaf 73b), Adoration of the Magi (leaf 78a), Presentation in the Temple (leaf 92a), Flight into Egypt (96b), David and Goliath (111a), and Office of the Dead (leaf 135b).
- Country of origin: France
- Date: ca. 1490
- Citations: Bond, W. H. Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the United States and Canada, no. 2
- Provenance: McVitty
- miniatures, illumination, decorative borders
Antiphonal [Manuscript Leaf, HU 1]
- Country of origin: Flanders (Belgium)
- Date: 1485
- Citations: Bond, W. H. Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the United States and Canada, no. 7.
- Provenance: McVitty (Ege)
- Other: Includes neumes, red and blue lettering and decoarations, historiated initial, and border images.
Processional [HU 9]
- Country of origin: Germany
- Date: ca. 1475
- Citations: unknown
- Provenance: unknown
Antiphonal [HU Codex 4]
- Country of origin: Italy
- Date: ca. 1450
- Citations: Bond, W. H. Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the United States and Canada, no. 4.
- Provenance: McVitty
Antiphonal [HU 2]
- Country of origin: Italy
- Date: ca. 1440
- Dimensions: ca. 560 x 410 mm
- Citations: none
- Provenance: Otto Ege; S. Herbert McVitty
- Other: neumes, red and blue lettering and decoration
Breviary [HU codex 3]
- Country of origin: Italy
- Date: 15th century
- Citations: Bond, W. H. Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the United States and Canada, no.1
- Provenance: McVitty
Breviary [Manuscript leaf, HU 3]
- Country of origin: France
- Date: ca. 1350
- Citations: Bond, W. H. Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the United States and Canada, no. 9
- Provenance: McVitty (Ege)
- Other: red and blue lettering and decorations, illumination. Note written at top of side 1: "Following the octave of Easter" [translation].
A breviary is a book containing the hymns, offices, and prayers for the canonical hours, to be recited daily by clerics in religious orders.
Missal (HU 6)
- Country of origin: Germany.
- Date: ca. 1320.
- Dimensions: 450 x 310 mm.
- Citations: Bond & Faye, no. 12.
- Provenance: Otto Ege, S. Herbert McVitty.
Bible. Old Testament. 1 Chronicles 28:21-2 Chronicles 1:3 [Manuscript leaf HU15a]
- Country of origin: N. France (or Flemish)
- Date: ca. 1300
- Citations: none
- Provenance: unknown
- Other: historiated initials, decorative borders
Bible. Old Testament. Joshua, 17-18 [Manuscript leaf HU 16]
- Country of origin: France
- Date: ca. 1300
- Citations: none
- Provenance: Virginia Webb, Class of 1933.
- Other: red and blue decorations
Bible. Old Testament. Psalm 106:9-112:4 [Manuscript leaf HU15b]
- Country of origin: N. France
- Date: ca. 1300
- Citations: none
- Provenance: unknown
- Other: Historiated initals, decorative borders
Missal [Manuscript leaf, HU 5a]
- Country of origin: Beauvais, France
- Date: 1285
- Citations: Bond, W. H. Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the United States and Canada, no. 11.
- Provenance: McVitty (Ege)
- Other: red and blue lettering and decoration, illumination, neumes
Missal [Manuscript leaf, HU 5b]
- Country of origin: Beauvais, France
- Date: 1285
- Citations: Bond, W. H. Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the United States and Canada, no. 11
- Provenance: McVitty (Ege)
- Other: red and blue lettering and decoration, illumination, neumes, historiated initial
Psalter [Manuscript leaf HU 13]
- Country of origin: France
- Date: ca. 1285
- Citations: none
- Provenance: Virginia Webb, Hollins Class of 1933
- Other: Red and blue decorations and lettering, Illumination
Bible. Old Testament. Daniel, 1:13-3:6. [Manuscript leaf, HU12]
- Country of origin: Paris, France
- Date: ca. 1275
- Citations: none
- Provenance: unknown
- Other: red and blue decoration and lettering, Otto Ege manuscript
Breviary [HU 7]
- Country of origin: Germany
- Date: ca. 1225
- Citations: Bond, W. H. Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the United States and Canada, no. 13.
- Provenance: McVitty
Missal [Manuscript Leaf, HU 4]
- Country of origin: Germany
- Date: ca. 1150
- Citations: Bond, W. H. Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the United States and Canada, no. 10
- Provenance: McVitty (Ege)
- Other: Includes neumes [music notation]
A missal is a book containing all that is said or sung at mass during the entire year.

To learn more about this item, please contact Beth S. Harris, Special Collections Librarian & Archivist at bharris@hollins.edu.