King Arthur manuscript in private hands for 700 years goes on sale - for a huge price
Christie’s says the virtually unknown volume has 126 gold-leaf illustrations and is one of only three such manuscripts in private hands.
- Christie's will auction the Clermont-Tonnerre Grail, a rare King Arthur manuscript expected to fetch up to $2.7 million. This 'virtually unknown' document offers an early version of the Arthurian legend.
- Dating to between 1290 and 1310, the manuscript has remained in private hands for 700 years. It contains Old French text from the Lancelot-Grail cycle, a foundational medieval romance series.
- The 126 gold-leaf illustrations were likely created by anonymous artist 'Master of the Liege Apocalypse.' These images depict Merlin shape-shifting and tales of Arthur's knights, texts fundamental to Western culture.
- Provenance records show a long line of previous owners, including a 15th-century knight and 20th-century industrialist Jean Lebaudy. The manuscript has never been publicly exhibited or studied in detail.
- The sale takes place July 8 in London, with Eugenio Donadoni, director of medieval and renaissance manuscripts at Christie's, anticipating significant bidder interest from both institutions and private collectors.
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Chance That King Arthur Manuscript with 126 Sumptuous Illustrations Soon Enters Public Collection
A stunning manuscript containing the full extent of the King Arthur legend, embossed with sumptuous illustrations, is going up for auction at Christie’s. One of three such copies known—all of which remain in private collections—the Lebaudy Manuscript contains 126 illustrations, a unique story of the wizard Merlin disguising himself as a stag, and enjoys an […] The post Chance That King Arthur Manuscript with 126 Sumptuous Illustrations Soon Ente…
Un manuscrito del rey Arturo, en manos privadas durante 700 años, sale a la venta por un precio astronómico
Por Lianne Kolirin, CNN Un manuscrito medieval que contiene una versión temprana de las historias del rey Arturo y Merlín, que ha permanecido en manos privadas durante aproximadamente 700 años, se subastará este verano en una venta excepcional. Se espera que el manuscrito ilustrado, que data de los siglos XIII o XIV, alcance hasta US$ 2,7 millones y es uno de los documentos más antiguos que narran la leyenda del rey Arturo y la búsqueda del Sant…
King Arthur manuscript in private hands for 700 years goes on sale - for a huge price
A medieval manuscript featuring an early version of the tales of King Arthur and Merlin, which has been in private hands for about 700 years, is going under the hammer in a rare sale this summer.
A medieval manuscript containing an early version of King Arthur and Merlin's stories, which is in private hands for about 700 years, will be auctioned out in a rarity in this...
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