Manuscript consisting of 27 folios with 31 drawings of landscapes, trees, fruits and flowers, representing two gatherings from separate sketchbooks that have been stitched together in a modern yellow cover. The first gathering, folios 50-66, contains a title page and 19 drawings, dated by the artist from November 1578 to June 1579. The second gathering, folios 68-79, comprises 12 drawings, dated by the artist May to December 1576 and 2 May 1584.
Numbered in pen and brown ink on recto at upper right from 50 to 79, skipping 65 and 72 (two folios numbered 66; 67 is not numbered); folio 79 is blank.
Inscribed on cover: Libro Fatto de Meriore li 5 de. re 9 [re above 9] 1578: Lib. 26". Various inscriptions throughout.
Watermark: fragmentary mark, in a circle (fragment, at top center; according to Elen 1995, a small french lily in a circle: folio 50; six-pointed star within an four-pointed star, in a circle (fragment, at top center): folios 51, 52, 53, 54, 59, 60, 61, 62; fleur-de-lis, pointing down, in a circle (fragment, at top center): folios 68, 70, 73, 78; fragmentary mark, in a circle: folio 71 (according to Elen 1995, same as folios 68, 70 etc.: it is either bottom of fleur-de-lis or a different watermark).
Watermark: folio 59. Shapes inside circle, fragment of six-pointed star with a four-pointed star enclosed in a circle.
Watermark: folio 61. Six-pointed star with a four-pointed star inside circle, fragment.
Watermark: folio 69v. Fleur-de-lis inside circle, fragment.
Watermark: folio 70. Fleur-de-lis inside circle, fragment.
Watermark: folio 71. Fleur-de-lis inside circle, fragment.
Valls, Rafael, former owner.
London 1971(b), no. 2; Elen 1995, 378-380.
Ryskamp, Charles, ed. Sixteenth Report to the Fellows of the Pierpont Morgan Library, 1969-1971. New York : Pierpont Morgan Library, 1973, p. 91-94, 121 (attributed to Severino da Cingoli)