‘DG’. ILLUMINATED CALLIGRAPHIC MANUSCRIPT ~ Andante.
20 pp. illuminated calligraphic manuscript including blanks with large illuminated image of the Coat of Arms of Worthing on the title page in blue, grey, black, white, re, purple, green yellow and gold, dramatic iluminated word ‘Out’ on the first page of text in blue, red, white, black and gilt, a fine illustrated calligraphic calendar incoroporating the months of the year with relevant flowers and seeral large gilt and red initials, alongside small decorations including gilt stars and a small pen and ink drawing of the Downs. 38.5 x 28.3 cm. Tall folio, in a well done but probably amateur unsigned binding, perhaps by the calligrapher, of blue/green morocco with dark green morocco spine, both sides with a looping pattern, reminiscent of calligraphy, in blind superimposed with a zig zag design in gilt, spine cleverly lettered in gilt and blind with the whole title ‘Andante’ in each of the seven panels each highlighting a different letter in gilt to spell the title across the whole spine, turn-ins with triple gilt fillets. In very good, bright condition with only a little rubbing and slight chipping to the top of the spine.
The text, apparently by the scribe, is in effect a guide to walks on the South Downs in Sussex around Worthing. The routes are very immediately described - for instance in one the walker begins in Worthing and following ‘Honeysuckle Lane’, reaches Chanctonbury Ring, then pushes through the brambles past St Bodolph’s Church, sweats up the Round Hill and finally arrives in beautiful Arundel “one of the most attractive, yet dignified of the smaller Sussex towns”.
The manuscript was a gift, ‘To M’ which supports the theory that it was bound by the scribe. The calligraphic colophon in gilt and blue signed by the scribe ‘DG’ declares: ‘The author trusts that the majority of his readers will enjoy this book of downland walks. He suggests that the minority turn it upside down, and in so doing derive some pleasure from the pattern thus produced’.
Unfortunately we don’t know the identity of D G, but the work is superb and full of life, as are descriptions of the walks.