The Book of Hours at Sokol Books Stall

At the International Antiquarian Book Fair, distinct exhibitions of antique paintings, books, letters and manuscripts were being sold. At this book fair, the majority of the paintings and the books were first editions that depicted the original intent of the author or artist when their works were first presented to a reading audience. Over the course of studying the distinct works performed by the different artists and authors, it was an amazing experience to observe from a contemporary point of view the value of these works and the modifications that were and are still made to them, from a cover that is changed, to the extent that the art is no longer combined with the book content. The most relevant aspect is that everything that a piece of artwork or a book is composed of has a significant meaning behind it, including, if it is still extant, the provenance of the book, the valuation, the bindings of the book, the edition, whether is in a good or bad condition and whether it is preserved well. As I was sauntering by the different booths I came upon the realization that the majority of the books were beautifully designed, and the beauty of the book at times seemed more essential than the content itself.

The distinct versions of the Bibles that were created in the 16^th century were enthralling pieces that captured my attention because they were unique in their own respective ways. The prices of these Bibles, including the small at $95,000, the median at $22,000 and the larger Bible at $57,000 depended on their significance. But, what made them more beautiful was the artwork that these Bibles depicted in their prayer devotionals. In every page, includes distinct artwork and interestingly has calendars in their content. In modern-day society, Bibles solely have religious content. The rare books in display act depict the modifications that Bibles have encountered throughout time. A Bible that was very unique was the one titled the, Book of Hours, Use of Rome, in Latin, Illuminated manuscripts on vellum, (Low Countries), c. 1460. These Bibles are all named the same but what distinguished them is their sizes. This Bible was particularly a miniature version measuring around 7 x 4 inches, late Gothic book hand, the rubric is red, it is gilt tooled, is in good condition, the cover is 17^thcentury black morocco, it is bordered with gilt rule, and the spine is with raised bands. The size revealed that this Bible were carried by people all the time and acted as a life guidance.

The Book of Hours was interesting because it was developed during the medieval period. To depict the content of the Bible, the people during this time drew Jesus, Mary and other fundamental figures that were part of the Bible. This Bible was special because they had calendar so that the people could know when and at what specific time of the day they had to recite their prayers. This book became fundamental specifically during the Renaissance period because the people no longer had to speak to the church clergy, they could recite personal prayers and look at the calendar for guidance. The golds hands hold the bible together and also meant that God was pointing towards the earth. Also, the paintings of the Bible created a distinction to the Bible people buy in contemporary society. Most relevantly, the artwork that this Bible had is what gives them their significance. The pieces of arts that this book contained can serve as an explanation for when people, for example, were illiterate and could better help them recite their prayers. This antique at the antiquarian book fair depicted the Bible people utilized during the medieval period and it displayed the important value that these Bible had not only because of the price that they were being auctioned, but, because it acted as a form of counseling.