A leather-bound volume composed of parchment leaves, containing psalms written in Ge'ez in black and red ink on ruled lines, some pages written in two columns of text; including eight full page polychrome figural paintings relating to the miracles of Virgin Mary, four at the front and four at the back; twenty gathers sewn onto wooden boards, blind tooled decoration to the front and back cover composed of a Christian cross within geometric borders. [No Reserve]

PROVENANCE:
Ex central London gallery.
Private collection of Professor Rougeot, Museum d'histoire Naturelle, Paris, France, until 2011.
(Prof. Rougeot collected butterflies in Ethiopia for scientific purposes).
Accompanied by a copy of a detailed academic report on the piece.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by AIAD certificate number no.11133-184114.

LITERATURE:
Cf. Budge, E.A.W., The miracles of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and The life of Hannâ (Saint Anne), and The magical prayers of ʻAhĕta Mîkâêl, London, 1900.

FOOTNOTES:
The manuscript paintings illustrate the miracles of the Virgin Mary. The first miniature represents the Last Supper, Jesus standing before a table accompanied by six Apostles, one of whom is kissing His hand; the second miniature represents the history of Abbas, Bishop of Rome, who having committed sin by embracing a woman before administering the Holy Mysteries, retired to the vestry and cut off his right hand, before prostrating himself in front of an icon of the Virgin, who forgave and healed him; the third miniature represents the Holy Virgin among the archangels Raguel, Michael and Gabriel; the fourth miniature represents the Roman deacon Anastasius praying to the Virgin Mary and the Divine Child; the fifth miniature shows Mary standing in prayer at the grave of Jesus Christ, who, risen from the dead, addresses and blesses His Mother, whilst the guards watching the Sepulchre sleep; the sixth miniature represents the Virgin Mary who appears to one of her servants, and in reply to his words 'Blessed art thou among women' says 'And blessed art thou also among men'; the seventh miniature again represents the Last Supper, or Jesus among the Apostles; the last miniature represents the Virgin Mary with one of Her servants, receiving blessings from a Saint.