The second most expensive Gospel Book ever sold at public auction was bought for just over $3million at Christie's in London yesterday.
Described as of "unbelievable condition and of noble provenance" by expert Dr Christopher de Hamel, the Carolingian 'Gospels of Queen Theutberga' is believed to have been written in the ninth century.
Gospel Books include the complete biblical text of all four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. According to Christie's, they were considered to be the physical embodiment of the Word of God throughout the Middle Ages, and are incredibly rare.
"It is difficult to imagine finding another ninth-century manuscript in such a flawless state," De Hamel said.
The manuscript contains 200 leaves, and is thought to have been written at a Benedictine Abbey in either Metz or Marbach, both in France. The Telegraph reports that the manuscript was given as a gift to Queen Theutberga of Lorraine sometime between 825 and 850 AD. She sought refuge at a nunnery after being driven out by her husband, Lothar II of Lotharingi, who accused her of incest when was unable to give birth to an heir.
The Gospel Book was put up for auction with a conservative estimate of £1-1.5 million. It sold for over £1.9million to Les Enluminures, a company which specialises in the sale of medieval and Renaissance illuminated manuscripts. Experts hope that a digitalised version of the text will be made available to the public.
The most expensive Gospel Book ever to be sold is the Gospels of Henry the Lion, which went for over £8million in 1983. It was the most expensive book in the world until Bill Gates bought Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Leicester in 1994.
