Listen to co-curator Philip Palmer explain how Belle Greene acquired a priceless illuminated manuscript during the First World War and hear actor Andi Bohs reading Belle Greene’s letter to Jack Morgan announcing the purchase.
ONE OF HER FINEST ACQUISITIONS
In 1916, amid World War One, Belle Greene visited England and acquired what is now one of the most important illuminated manuscripts held in the United States. Commonly referred to as the “Crusader Bible,” it has had many owners, traveling from France to Italy, Poland, Iran, Egypt, and England. Though J. Pierpont Morgan had declined to purchase the manuscript in 1910 for £10,000, Greene was determined to secure it for Jack Morgan’s collection, even though he had not authorized wartime purchases. “If I had been able to stay here several weeks longer,” she wrote him, “I know I could have bought every important manuscript in private hands in England.”
Old Testament miniatures (“Crusader Bible”), in Latin, Persian, and Judeo-Persian
Paris, France, ca. 1244–54
The Morgan Library & Museum, purchased by J. P. Morgan Jr., 1916; MS M.638
PHILIP: Belle Greene daringly traveled to England during the First World War and purchased this manuscript, one of the finest sets of biblical miniatures in existence, without the express permission of her new boss, Pierpont Morgan’s son, Jack Morgan. The manuscript had been offered to Pierpont Morgan several years earlier, but he had turned down the offer. Knowing the immense research value and stunning beauty of the miniatures, Belle Greene returned to the manuscript’s owner in 1916 and closed the deal. The following is the letter she wrote to Jack Morgan to announce the acquisition.
ANDI:
My dear Mr. Morgan,
On my visit to Cheltenham this week I purchased from the present owner, Mr. Fitzroy Fenwick, his famous thirteenth-century French manuscript of the Bible Historiée, the finest example of French art of the period in private hands. It consists also of only 43 leaves—there are two others in the Bibliothèque Nationale at Paris (now in course of publication by the Comte de la Borde) and one at Cambridge—for this latter single sheet they paid, several years ago, £300. I agree to pay Fenwick £10,000 for his 43 leaves. The transaction makes me feel better about my ‘torpedoed’ letter of credit as Quaritch offered to try to obtain it for us for £15,000 plus his commission of 5% and Yates Thompson thought I would have to pay much more for it. Mr. Fenwick is coming to London to see me today, when we will arrange terms of payment and talk over 5 other manuscripts. I should like to have, or to have the promise of. If I had been able to stay here several weeks longer I know I could have bought every important manuscript in private hands in England. There was not time to get to the Duke of Northumberland’s collection (Duveen has just bought his Bellini) but I may be able to do something by correspondence.
Sincerely,
Belle Greene