Accession No. RARE.2024.0094: Purchased, 2019 September.
[identification of item], Tin Book Box with Antiphonal Leaf (1500s) Glued to Exterior, SPEC.RARE.MMS.0401, Rare Books and Manuscripts Library, Ohio State University
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Processed by: Casey Blackmore, 2024 December; Finding aid written by: Casey Blackmore, 2024 December
Antiphonals were choir books that specifically collected the music and chants for liturgical celebrations that were part of the Divine Office, or the daily recitation of chants, psalms, readings, and prayers organized and performed according to the eight canonical hours of the day. Text that is found on the manuscript fragment is related to chants and music for the Office of Matins, the late night and early morning sequence of prayers celebrated in the Divine Office. In the Roman Catholic Church, Matins is a part of the Liturgy of the Hours, also known as the Office of Readings. The large size of both the text and the neumes (musical notation) on the leaf indicates that it would have been performed by a choir. The production of the fragment was likely in Italy, based on the size and style of the font that was used to create the text.
Manuscript can be broken apart or fragmented due to many reasons, including decay and destruction of the material over time and other means including war, fire, water, and neglect. The reuse of old manuscript leaves typically happens when the contents of the manuscript is no longer current or of interest to particular audiences. Reuse can also take many forms, such as book covers, flyleaves, strips to enforce book spines, or palimpsests.
The Tin Book Box with Antiphonal Leaf (1500s) Glued to Exterior contains a heavy-gauge tin book box with manuscript leaf attached to the front of the box. The manuscript fragment is likely dated circa 1500. The tin book box is dated circa 1930.